Abortion

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will finalise their proposals for all women seeking an abortion to be offered counselling; and who will be consulted in determining the proposals.

Earl Howe: The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' guidance, The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, recommends that clinicians caring for women requesting abortion should try to identify those who require more support than can be provided in the routine clinic setting (such as those with a psychiatric history, poor social support or evidence of coercion). For the minority of women who require formal therapeutic counselling, services should have formal care pathways in place with access to trained counsellors with appropriate expertise.
	We are looking to strengthen these existing arrangements and are drawing up proposals to enable all women who are seeking an abortion to be offered access to independent counselling. We would want the counselling to be provided by appropriately qualified individuals. Detailed proposals are being worked on. We plan to consult widely on those later this year and will finalise our plans in early 2012.

Agriculture: Peat

The Earl of Courtown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the amount of peat extracted for (a) horticultural, and (b) non-horticultural, use in the United Kingdom in the last 10 years; and by whom it was extracted.

Lord Henley: Data on sales of peat extracted in Great Britain by end use are currently available up to 2009-there are no comparable data collected for peat extraction in Northern Ireland.
	Around 13.3 million cubic metres of peat were sold by GB extractors over the period 2000-09. It is not possible to separate the 2001 and 2002 data by end use. Of the 10.5 million cubic metres of peat sold in the remaining eight years, around 10.3 million cubic metres were for horticultural use and 233,000 cubic metres were for non-horticultural uses.
	No data are held regarding by whom the peat was extracted.

Armed Forces: Afghanistan and Iraq

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many serving members of (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy, and (c) the Royal Air Force, have been killed or wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq in each of the past ten years.

Lord Astor of Hever: The following tables show the numbers of Service personnel killed or wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq in each of the past 10 years. Figures have been presented as those resulting from both hostile and non-hostile action. The figures of those wounded include those classified as very seriously injured (VSI) and seriously injured (SI).
	
		
			 Table 1: UK Armed Forces fatalities in Afghanistan by year, Service, and hostile and non-hostile action. 7 October 2001-7 July 2011. 
			 Year All Royal Navy Royal Marines Army RAF 
			  Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other 
			 All 336 39 0 0 51 2 280 23 5 14 
			 2001 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2002 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 
			 2003 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2004 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 2005 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 2006 21 18 0 0 4 1 17 5 0 12 
			 2007 37 5 0 0 5 1 31 4 1 0 
			 2008 50 1 0 0 16 0 32 1 2 0 
			 2009 107 1 0 0 7 0 99 1 1 0 
			 2010 95 8 0 0 15 0 79 6 1 2 
			 2011 24 3 0 0 4 0 20 3 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: UK Armed Forces seriously injured in Afghanistan by year, Service, and hostile and non-hostile action. 7 October 2001-15 June 2011. 
			 Year All Royal Navy Royal Marines Army RAF 
			  Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other 
			 All 474 44 0 0 62 7 403 36 9 1 
			 2001 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 2002 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 2003 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 2004- 4 2 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 
			 2005 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 
			 2006 24 7 0 0 3 4 21 ' 3 0 0 
			 2007 59 4 0 0 13 1 44 3 2 0 
			 2008 60 5 0 0 14 1 43 4 3 0 
			 2009 147 10 0 0 16 0 128 10 3 0 
			 2010 143 10 0 0 11 0 131 10 1 0 
			 2011 36 3 0 0 5 0 31 2 0 1 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: UK Armed Forces fatalities in Iraq by year, Service, and hostile and non-hostile action. 1 January 2003-31 July 2009. 
			 Year All Royal Navy Royal Marines Army RAF 
			  Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other 
			 All 135 43 8 0 10 2 99 37 18 4 
			 2003 40 12 7 0 7 1 24 9 2 2 
			 2004 10 12 0 0 0 0 10 11 0 1 
			 2005 20 3 0 0 0 0 11 3 9 0 
			 2006 27 2 1 0 3 0 21 2 2 0 
			 2007 36 11 0 0 0 1 32 9 4 1 
			 2008 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 
			 2009 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0  
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4: UK Armed Forces seriously injured in Iraq by year, Service and hostile and non-hostile action. 1 January 2003-31 July 2009. 
			 Year All Royal Navy Royal Marines Army RAF 
			  Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other Hostile Other 
			 All 149 73 1 3 1 1 140 59 7 10 
			 2003 14 32 0 2 0 0 14 26 0 4 
			 2004 34 11 0 0 0 0 34 8 0 3 
			 2005 10 10 0 0 0 0 10 9 0 1 
			 2006 27 5 1 0 1 1 25 3 0 1 
			 2007 57 12 0 1 0 0 50 10 7 1 
			 2008 7 2 0 0 0 0 7 2 0 0 
			 2009 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Notes:Tables 1 and 2 include the most recent verified data.Tables 3 and 4 present data up to closure of the UK field hospital in Iraq on 31 July 2009.

Armed Forces: Pilots

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for French language training of Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots.

Lord Astor of Hever: Personnel are selected for French language training based on their aptitude and on current assessments of the operational and interoperability requirements. Selection is irrespective of their trade or branch within the Services, and will include pilots and aircrew.

Armed Forces: Staff

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the average total cost to the Exchequer, including salary, pension and associated employment costs, of (a) an officer, and (b) a member of the other ranks, serving in the armed forces.

Lord Astor of Hever: In financial year 2010-11, the average cost of employment of an officer was some £83,000 and that of an other rank some £39,000.
	These figures include basic salary, specialist pay, employer's social security costs and pension contributions for the average numbers of personnel serving in the Armed Forces during financial year 2010-11.

Childcare Act 2006

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the definition of "prospective parent" under Section 2(2) of the Childcare Act 2006 to include the father.

Lord Hill of Oareford: We do not believe it is necessary to review the definition of "prospective parent" under Section 2(2) of the Childcare Act 2006. The term "prospective parent" includes the father. Section 2(2) also defines parent as "a parent of a young child, and includes any individual who (a) has parental responsibility for a young child, or (b) has care of a young child". This will not only include fathers, but stepfathers and stepmothers, grandparents who have grandchildren living with them, foster parents and adoptive parents.

Crime: Burglary

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the domestic burglary rates in the last five years according to the British Crime Survey and police figures respectively; on which figures they base their own calculations and policy; and why they maintain two sets of records.

Baroness Browning: Statistics on domestic burglary are given in the table.
	The police figures are an important source showing the number of domestic burglaries recorded by forces in England and Wales. These are supplemented by the British Crime Survey which includes burglaries that have not been reported to the police.
	In her recent independent review of crime statistics, the National Statistician commented that: "Both sources have their strengths and limitations, but they also complement one another, delivering between them a range of information that cannot be provided by one source alone. The two sources therefore add to public understanding of crime in England and Wales".
	The Government take account of both sources as they provide a better evidence base than either series alone.
	
		
			 Domestic burglary incidents/offences recorded and rates, England and Wales 2006/07 to 2010/11 
			  British Crime Survey Police recorded crime 
			 Year Number of incidents (estimated) Rates per 10,000 households Number of offences Rates per 10,000 households 
			 2006/07 703,000 311 292,260 131 
			 2007/08 713,000 312 280,696 126 
			 2008/09 717,000 312 284,431 122 
			 2009/10 651,000 280 268,610 116 
			 2010/11 745,000 317 258,148 111

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 31 January (WA 220-1) and 22 June (WA 302-3), what analysis was made regarding the Care Quality Commission's routine monitoring of compliance and use of "tough enforcement powers" prior to considering transfer of functions currently carried out by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Earl Howe: In proposing that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) functions transfer to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the department took into account that the CQC is an executive non-departmental public body accountable to the Secretary of State for discharging its functions, duties and powers efficiently and effectively. The department monitors the financial and operational performance, and management of risk, at a general and strategic level through regular formal accountability meetings. It does not assess the CQC's inspection or its monitoring of specific providers.
	The CQC is responsible for assessing and ensuring the quality of its inspection and monitoring of specific providers on a day-to-day basis. The CQC's annual accounts and annual report are laid before Parliament, and the CQC is publicly accountable through parliamentary scrutiny, including by Select Committees.

Embryology

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff are employed by the Human Tissue Authority and the Human Embryo and Fertilisation Authority; and how many posts of those are currently filled by locum, agency or temporary staff.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it has 78 staff, none of whom are locum, agency or temporary staff. The Human Tissue Authority has advised that it employs 47 staff of whom four are temporary agency workers and two are on temporary contracts.

Energy: Nuclear Tests

Baroness Brinton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 5 July (WA 42), whether they will place in the Library of the House a list of the documents relating to the planning and execution of British nuclear tests which have already been disclosed; and how many documents have yet to be disclosed.

Lord Astor of Hever: As I stated in my Answer of 5 July 2011, the Ministry of Defence has disclosed over 12,000 documents and agreed special arrangements for handling sensitive documents in the personal injury and war pensions appeals cases. Proceedings are continuing in both the Supreme Court and the War Pensions Tribunal and it would therefore not be appropriate or proportionate to provide lists of documents disclosed in those proceedings, especially as the disclosure process before the Tribunal is ongoing. Consequently, it is also impossible to say how many documents have yet to be disclosed.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Further analysis of the UK breeding pig salmonella survey data to identify risk factors of transmission of infection"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Further analysis of the UK breeding pig salmonella survey data to identify risk factors of transmission of infection" to extend the end date of the project by four months due to delays in sample and data collection beyond the control of the contractor. This did not impact on the objectives of the project or the total cost of the project to the department.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Development of epidemiological models for the spread and control of bluetongue and African horse sickness"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Development of epidemiological models for the spread and control of bluetongue and African horse sickness" to add an extra objective to the study. The original project covered the development of a mathematical model that focused on bluetongue. The contract variation broadened the scope of the project to include modelling of African horse sickness transmission and necessary analysis of equine demographic data. The total cost of the research increased from £363,098 to £717,452.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Salmonella enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in egg production: Elimination of infection from flocks, and characterisation of public health risks"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Salmonella enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in egg production: Elimination of infection from flocks, and characterisation of public health risks" to amend the objectives of the study. The original project included an on-farm study to develop methods for the elimination of salmonella infection from flocks but it proved difficult to recruit the necessary farms. The contract variation resulted in one amended and three new objectives in line with the original aims of the project and did not impact on the end date of the project or the total cost of the project to the department.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Investigation of the risk of transmission of typical forms of scrapie to humans"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: The department does not fund a project titled, "Investigation of the risk of transmission of typical forms of scrapie to humans". It does however fund a project titled, "Investigation of the risk of transmission of atypical forms of scrapie to humans". This project was designed to provide evidence on the relative risk of atypical scrapie to human and animal health. Preliminary results indicated additional work was required to provide this evidence and fully address the relative risk of atypical scrapie. The variation to the contract resulted in an extended end date and an increase of just under £400,000 to the total cost of the project to the department.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Investigation of the risk of transmission of scrapie in milk of sheep"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Investigation of the risk of transmission of scrapie in milk of sheep" to enable continuation of the project. The length of the original project was seven years; however the department generally only agrees funding for three years. For longer-running projects the work is assessed and either terminated or continued as originally agreed. The contract variation resulted in an increase (just under £300,000) in total cost of the project to the department, with no change to the original end date of the project.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Practical steps towards reducing discards and developing more environmentally responsible fisheries"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, et cetera).
	In this particular instance the contract was varied following a policy request to the contractor. The variation extended the contract by £68,500 to enable the contractor to undertake additional research on gear selectivity trials and to carry out further discard analysis via a short desk study.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Marine Protected Areas-gathering/developing and accessing the data for the planning of a network of marine conservation zones"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc). In this particular instance the project "Marine Protected Areas-gathering/developing and accessing the data for the planning of a network of marine conservation zones"; was varied at the request of the policy customer to enable additional work to be undertaken. Details are:
	March 2011 cost variation:
	Cost: £1,100.
	Reason-"An additional cost of £1,100 is required to develop the Web-GIS tool to enable the set up of the Marine Conservation Zone's (MCZ's) 3rd iteration work".
	August 2010 cost variation:
	Cost: £101.
	Reason-"To provide for extra functionality of digitising and submitting MCZ boundaries and a web-based stakeholder forum".
	June 2010 cost variation:
	Cost: £42,320.
	Reason-"To produce a matrix describing the sensitivity of pressures for EUNIS* Level 3 broad-scale habitats, OSPAR** threatened and/or declining habitats and species and UK Biodiversity Action Plan habitats and species".
	* European Nature Information System.
	**The Oslo and Paris Convention for the Protection of Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "An investigation into the potential formation of and removal of nitrosamines in drinking water treatment"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	In this particular instance the contract was varied at the request of the project manager to extend the end date to enable the contractor to carry out additional testing which was judged necessary to provide greater scientific confidence in the preliminary findings.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "DEFRA pH monitoring project"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The variation to the project "DefrapH-A study to define the present state of UK waters with respect to potential changes in the degree of acidification of these waters, combining collection of new data over two years, review pre-existing information and numerical analysis", was for £21,924 in financial years 2010-11. This was for additional vital research, facilitating the wider ocean acidification programme.
	The output of the variation was to produce a desk review on current knowledge for purposes of resolving issues on the interactions between ocean carbonate chemistry in shelf seas and how this affects modelling and calculation of pH. The results from the desk review were made available to those scientists involved in calculating pH from the samples arising from the NERC-Defra OA programme.
	Latterly, in March 2011, the DefrapH project was varied again, with a "no cost" extension, to allow the contractors to finish off the final report from the larger DefrapH for publication.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Economics and social assessment for marine strategy framework directive"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The project "Economics and social assessment for marine strategy framework directive" was varied by an additional £1,900 on the original project budget to allow the contractor to present a paper discussing the socioeconomic implications of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
	The European Commission and member states have established, as a part of their common implementation strategy, a Working Group on Economic and Social Analysis to support implementation of the MSFD. The research conducted through this project, although commissioned by the UK Government, was highly relevant to other member states as part of this common implementation strategy; hence the additional requirement to present the findings at the working group.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Maternal transmission of scrapie in sheep"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Maternal transmission of scrapie in sheep" to extend the end date of the project due to delays resulting from staff losses and from moving the laboratory to a different building. This did not impact on the objectives of the project or the total cost of the project to the department.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "To develop a cost effective and practical method to reduce e.coli 0157 infection in cattle prior to slaughter"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "To develop a cost-effective and practical method to reduce E. coli 0157 infection in cattle prior to slaughter" to extend the end date of the project and re-profile the finances to address the amended timescale of the work.
	The end date was extended due to a delay to the start of the project outside of the control of the department. This did not impact on the objectives of the project or the total cost of the project to the department.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Bovine TB vaccine programme"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	There are many projects related to the area of bovine TB vaccines, but project SE3218 "Bovine TB Vaccine Programme Advisor, Prof. Douglas Young" is the only project with the partial title "Bovine TB Vaccine Programme". There has been no variation to project SE3218 since May 2010. The last variation was in September 2009 which extended the project to its end date of March 2011.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Evaluation of the protection efficacy of vaccines against bovine TB in a natural setting"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	Project SE3227 "Evaluation of the protection efficacy of vaccines against bovine TB in a natural setting" was amended in May 2010 to re-profile the finances, and £331,427 was moved from financial year 2010-11 to 2011-12. The total costs of the project were not affected. This variation was carried out as delays in the project resulted in work being done later than originally planned and the finances were amended to reflect the actual spend in the project.

Health: Midwifery

Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the mechanism for Independent Midwives UK to ensure that their members are able to join the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts or its equivalent.

Earl Howe: Non-National Health Service bodies, including Independent Midwives UK, cannot currently join the Clinical Negligence Scheme for trusts as members. In future, we intend to make NHS clinical indemnity arrangements available to all providers of NHS acute, community and mental health care, which includes independent midwives who wish to work within the NHS. We will publish proposals in due course.

Health: Pressure Sores

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to the National Health Service of treating pressure sores in hospitals and nursing homes in England.

Earl Howe: Data of the cost to the National Health Service of treating pressure sores in hospitals and nursing homes in England is not held centrally by the department.
	However, the first NHS Outcomes Framework 2011-12, published on 20 December 2010, sets out the outcomes and corresponding indicators that will be used to track the success of the NHS in delivering improved outcomes. This includes an indicator currently being developed for 2012-13 to measure "incidence of newly-acquired category 3 and 4 pressure ulcers".

Health: Reciprocal Agreements

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the United Kingdom is liable for paying the healthcare costs, in full or in part, of European Union nationals (and members of their families) who have worked in the United Kingdom and who have built up some entitlement to a United Kingdom state pension, and have since retired and returned home; and, if so, how many they estimate are and will be so entitled.

Earl Howe: Under European Union (EU) Regulation 883/2004, if someone is in receipt of a state pension from two or more member states and they live in one of the member states that pays them a pension, the member state of residence is liable for the cost of that pensioner's state healthcare. However, if someone is in receipt of a state pension from two or more member states but not from their member state of residence, the member state where that person has the longest record of contributions is liable for their state healthcare costs.
	Currently, the Government do not have consistent centrally held data to estimate how many non-United Kingdom EU nationals have built up entitlement to a UK state pension and have since retired and returned to their home member state, or will in the future.

Health: Reciprocal Agreements

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual cost of National Health Service treatment for European Union nationals ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom; whether any reciprocal arrangements exist for the United Kingdom to reclaim those costs from other European Union countries; and whether United Kingdom nationals ordinarily resident in other European Union countries have the same equivalent rights to health service treatment without charge.

Earl Howe: Persons who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom are entitled to access National Health Service treatment free of charge. Nationality is not a criterion in establishing ordinary residence, and therefore the NHS does not collect data on the nationality of those patients they treat who are ordinarily resident in the UK.
	The only reciprocal arrangements in place for the UK to reclaim costs for healthcare provided to European citizens resident here are those provisions set out in European regulation 883/2004. The regulations enable a member state to claim the cost of healthcare for posted workers, pensioners and their dependants, and the dependants of workers, who have registered as resident in another member state to that which is liable for the cost of their healthcare.
	State healthcare systems vary across Europe, including residency based systems funded from general taxation and contributions-based systems. Providing a UK national meets the relevant criteria in another member state, they should have the same entitlement to access the state healthcare system in that country as other residents of that country.

Health: Reciprocal Agreements

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 4 July (WA 10), how many of the E109, S1 and E121 forms issued to registered residents from the United Kingdom of each European Economic Area member state and Switzerland were issued to (a) state pensioners and their dependents who live in a different member state to that which pays their pension, (b) dependents of workers living in a different member state to the worker, and (c) other types of user.

Earl Howe: All E109 forms are issued to the dependants of workers living in a different member state to the worker. All E121 forms are issued to a person in receipt of a state pension or their dependants who move to live in a different member state to that which pays their pension. The S1 replaces the E106, E109 and E121 under Regulation 883/2004. On the S1 there is a means by which to identify which entitlement category a person belongs to, and the entitlement is recorded alongside the respective registration.

Health: Reciprocal Agreements

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements are in place to ensure that United Kingdom nationals working in other European Union countries who have dependants in the United Kingdom for whom sickness and maternity benefits are being paid are listed for the purposes of such benefits cost reclaim; and how many United Kingdom citizens have been so registered over the last three years, in relation to which European Union countries.

Earl Howe: A person moving to work in another member state, who leaves their dependants in the United Kingdom, should request form E109 or S1 from the authorities in the country where they work and send the form to the Department of Work and Pensions which registers it in the UK.
	The following table (correct as of 25 January 2011) shows such registrations for the calendar years 2008-10.
	
		
			 Number of forms issued by another member state to the dependants of workers and registered in the UK 
			 Member state 2008 2009 2010 
			 Austria 2 1  
			 Belgium 1 1  
			 France 1 1  
			 Germany 18 16 6 
			 Total 22 19 6

Healthcare: Costs

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 13 July (WA 181), how was the figure of claims by Polish residents for medical care in the United Kingdom arrived at; by whom; and when was it finalised; and what were the figures for 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Earl Howe: Claims submitted in 2009-10 were based on the United Kingdom average cost of pensioner healthcare and the number of Polish pensioners registered in the UK for the purposes of receiving benefits in kind for the years 2004-06. Officials in the Department for Work and Pensions made the claims in December 2009. No average cost claims were submitted to Poland in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Immigration

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Ministers are required to publish impact assessments of changes to immigration policy without amendment; and whether they are entitled to add a dissenting view if they so desire.

Baroness Browning: The Minister responsible for the policy is required to sign off policy impact assessments. Ministers are entitled to disagree with the assessments, and feed back comments to civil servants. Prior to publication of the impact assessment, the Minister responsible for the policy (or the chief executive of non-departmental public bodies and other agencies) is required to sign a declaration to say that they have read the impact assessment and are satisfied that it represents a reasonable view of the expected costs, benefits, and impacts of the policy.

Iraq

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the judgment by the European Court of Human Rights that United Kingdom troops in Iraq were bound by human rights law, what plans they have for a public inquiry into the United Kingdom detention policy in Iraq.

Lord Astor of Hever: The Government received the European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber judgments on Al-Skeini and Al-Jedda on 7 July 2011 and are carefully considering the implications and next steps.

Marine Environment: Pollution

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government who monitors pollution in the Irish Sea; and, for each of the readings taken in the last 50 years, how, when and where they were taken; and what was the result.

Lord Henley: The Irish Sea is bounded by England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic and these regions all have their specific mechanisms and organisations that monitor and report on pollution in the Irish Sea. UK bodies that undertake pollution monitoring in the Irish Sea is include the Department of Environment Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (Water Management Unit), Natural Heritage (Northern Ireland responsible for the implementation of legislation and for environmental monitoring), Defra, The Environment Agency, Marine Scotland, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas).
	The types of pollution in the Irish Sea that are monitored include:1. Hazardous substances and their effects;2. Radioactivity;3. Eutrophication;4. Oil and chemical spills;5. Litter; and6. Underwater noise.
	Readings for each of these areas for the last 50 years are not readily available in one collated data set.
	In 2010, Defra published Charting Progress II (available on the Defra website) which provides the first integrated assessment of the state of the seas across the whole of the UK continental shelf, and includes summaries of the state of the main pollution issues in the Irish Sea.
	The main programme for monitoring the status of contaminants in UK waters is the Clean Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme (CSEMP). This measures the
	concentrations of specific chemicals that are persistent, toxic and have the ability to accumulate in food chains, at almost 500 sites around the UK. The data from around 1990 onwards can robustly be used in time series data and is reported in a series of annual Aquatic Monitoring reports available on the Cefas website. This series of reports provides detailed information on the analytical methods used to monitor pollution sources in UK waters and includes reports on monitoring carried out before 1990.
	Joint working with the Irish Republic on the state of the Irish Sea is mainly carried out through the framework of the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the North East Atlantic. Through this, information gathered by the various organisations is brought together, and assessments are made and published in the OSPAR Quality Status Report. A regional report covering parts of the Irish Sea is included.

National Countryside Week

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to support National Countryside Week (11-18 July).

Lord Henley: National Countryside Week was launched by The Prince's Countryside Fund on 11 July. The fund is intended to improve the sustainability of British farming and rural communities; reconnect consumers with countryside issues; and support farming and rural crisis charities. The fund works by participating companies making a donation and providing in-kind support; as the fund works with businesses rather than Government, Defra cannot provide direct support to the fund, although it supports its overall aims.

National Patient Safety Agency

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what will happen to the current functions of the National Patient Safety Agency when it closes in 2012.

Earl Howe: Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, responsibility for the work of the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) relating to reporting and learning from patient safety incidents will move to the NHS Commissioning Board.
	The department intends that, over the next few years, the National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS) will become a self-funded service. An interim host will be identified for NCAS prior to the abolition of NPSA.
	The Health Research Authority will be established this year, in the first instance as a special health authority, with the National Research Ethics Service as its core.
	The function of managing the delivery of the Confidential Enquiries (now known as the Clinical Outcomes Review Programmes), with the relevant provider organisations will transfer from the NPSA to the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.

NHS: Bed-blocking

Baroness Gale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they estimate is the level and cost of bed-blocking in the National Health Service in England.

Earl Howe: We have made no estimate of the cost to the National Health Service of delayed transfers of care.
	The department collects and routinely publishes information on delayed transfers of care. The most recent data are for May 2011 and these show that there were 4,158 patients delayed on the last Thursday of the month, with the total number of delayed days in the month at 114,241 days.

Passports

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government which passport offices have personal passport interview offices.

Baroness Browning: The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has recently completed the co-location of seven passport interview office sites in Belfast, London, Glasgow, Newport, Liverpool, Durham and Peterborough.
	The co-location brings together the public counter (passport offices) and interview office functions (personal passport interview offices) into a single location. Each of the seven locations can now deal with two types of transaction-passport applications and interviews.

Prisoners: Self-harm

Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord McNally on 23 June (WA 349), whether disciplinary action was taken following the report into the incident of self-harm at HMP Woodhill on 18 April commissioned by the Governor.

Lord McNally: The investigation into the incident was completed on 5 July 2011. The governor concluded, in the light of the findings of the investigation, that no grounds existed on which to justify disciplinary action. The investigation made a number of recommendations and these are being taken forward by the governor.

Schools: Work Experience

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will expand the variety of work experience placements offered to students in secondary schools.

Lord Hill of Oareford: In line with our policy of devolving greater autonomy to the front line, it will be for individual schools to choose what relationship they want with local employers and how they deliver work experience to their students. At the core of our approach to education policy is trust of professionals and the removal of top-down prescription. We propose to reduce the formal requirement on schools to provide work-related education and allow them greater flexibility to choose provision from a range of opportunities.

South Wales Police

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to police forces about when a burglary becomes recorded as such; and whether they have any concerns about the performance of South Wales Police in this regard.

Baroness Browning: The recording of crime by the police is governed by the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) and the Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR). These require that a crime is recorded if the circumstances reported by a victim amount to a crime in law and there is no credible evidence to the contrary. The HOCR sets out the classifications under which crimes are to be recorded for statistical purposes and include classifications for burglary. The HOCR also provide considerable guidance, with the use of examples, to aid forces in determining the correct classification under which a report of crime should be recorded. This guidance is kept under review and may be amended when necessary.
	The Home Office no longer monitors police force performance from the centre, with that function performed by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 14 July (WA 198), what criteria are applied when assessing whether an elective or non-elective abortion tariff ought to be charged; and what percentage of abortions commissioned by the National Health Service for delivery in the private sector in 2010 were non-elective.

Earl Howe: The elective tariff applies where an admission to hospital has been arranged in advance, and the non-elective tariff applies where an admission to hospital is unplanned.
	I am unable to provide a response to the second part of the question. Work is being undertaken by departmental officials on data collections relating to abortions. Upon the completion of this work, I hope to be able to provide a more substantive response.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 4 July (WA 1), whether, in the light of their statement "abortion is not a method of contraception or family planning", they have any plans to review the designation family planning clinic where the principal economic revenue of such institutions comes from abortion.

Earl Howe: The Secretary of State approves independent sector clinics to perform abortions under Section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended. The department has no role in the designation of family planning clinics which are commissioned at local level by primary care trusts.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any reports or representations from (a) the United Nations Population Fund, (b) Marie Stopes International, or (c) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, on gender-based abortion in India or China in the last five years.

Baroness Verma: The United Nations Population Fund has produced several reports and research papers on the issue of sex ratio imbalance. These are available to download from: http://www.unfpa.org/gender/selection.html. The International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Scopes International have not issued any reports or representations on gender-abortion in India or China in the last five years.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 7 July (WA 116-17), what assessment they have made of the ability of the International Conference on Population and Development to enforce their policy prohibiting gender-based abortion.

Baroness Verma: The UK Government have consistently cited the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and its programme of action (POA) as the defining policy-setting text. The Commission for Population and Development (CPD) acting on behalf of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations has the responsibility of monitoring, reviewing and assessing the implementation of the plan of action of ICPD at the national, regional and global levels, identifying reasons for success and failure, and advising the council.

Africa: Agricultural Aid

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government with whom they have discussed the provision of support to the private sector in areas of Africa where the majority of the labour force work in, and a significant percentage of gross domestic product comes from, the agricultural sector; and what was the result of those discussions.

Baroness Verma: The Secretary of State, Ministers and officials at the Department for International Development (DfID) regularly meet with private sector representatives and other interlocutors to inform and determine DfID's approach to working with the private sector in Africa.
	These discussions, together with formal public consultations on specific policy issues such as the reform of CDC, underpin DfID's objective on boosting wealth creation and programmes to catalyse business investment in agricultural growth in Africa.
	Ministers' commitment to promoting investment and entrepreneurship in Africa is underlined by several visits, including the recent one with the Prime Minister to Nigeria and South Africa, the recent speech made at the London Business School on Growth in Africa, and DfID's May 2011 publication, The Engine of Development: The PrivateSector and Prosperity for Poor People.

Africa: Agricultural Aid

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with governments in Africa on meeting their Maputo Declaration commitments to direct 10 per cent of their national budgets into support for agricultural development.

Baroness Verma: Britain routinely discusses factors affecting economic growth and food security with partner governments in Africa. UK Government officials also participate in twice-yearly meetings of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme. We use these meetings and our country-level work to review the programme with the African Union and member states and urge progress towards the Maputo productivity and expenditure targets.

Agriculture and Food

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government with whom they have discussed potential contributions to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme as part of their £1.1 billion commitment to food security made at the G8 in L'Aquila; and what was the result of those discussions.

Baroness Verma: Ministers from the Department for International Development (DfID) have discussed the possibility of the UK contributing to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) with representatives of many of the main institutions involved in its support.
	In the first of the three years of our financial commitment to the L'Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI), DfID disbursed approximately one-third of its total pledge. We therefore believe we are on track to deliver in full on our AFSI commitment without additional spending through GAFSP. Nevertheless, Ministers are still considering whether to make a UK contribution.

Agriculture and Food: Research Funding

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Technology Strategy Board has completed its review of the lessons learnt from the first research competition on crop protection; and, if so, when they will publish the results.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: The Technology Strategy Board's New Approaches to Crop Protection competition has resulted in support for 32 industry-led research projects worth £26 million, with £13.5 million of public sector funding. Following the competition, the Technology Strategy Board consulted with both industry and academia as it was its first significant funding engagement with this sector.
	On the basis of the feedback received, it will seek to improve delivery of future competitions by, for example:
	appointing a high-level steering board to provide sectoral awareness and help in scoping future competitions;increasing the time between launching the competition and the formal opening of the call for applications;engaging more with potential applicants in order to provide more opportunity to learn about the scope of the call and the collaborative R&D process;provide better clarification of state aid issues;make greater use of the knowledge transfer networks to disseminate information about the competition; andhold three consortium building workshops to help organisations meet other potential collaborators.
	The Technology Strategy Board does not have plans to formally publish the findings.

Agriculture: Dairy Farms

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the average milk price paid to (a) British dairy farmers, and (b) dairy farmers in the European Union member states, in each of the past five years.

Lord Henley: The average milk price in pence per litre paid to British dairy farmers in each of the past five years is given below.
	
		
			  2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 UK Milk Price 17.94 20.66 25.91 23.71 24.66 
		
	
	Source: Defra statistical survey
	The average milk price in pence per litre paid to dairy farmers in the European Union member states in the past five years (where data are available) is given below.
	
		
			 Member State 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Austria 21.03 24.01 31.76 26.66 28.10 
			 Belgium 18.96 24.48 26.14 21.76 26.93 
			 Bulgaria23.30 24.42 
			 Czech Rep. 18.89 20.83 26.86 20.78 24.99 
			 Cyprus 28.35 29.23 40.70 46.90 45.34 
			 Denmark 20.35 22.37 30.42 25.30 28.22 
			 Estonia 17.08 19.01 24.26 19.35 24.51 
			 Finland 25.21 26.53 37.55 36.39 32.83 
			 France 20.55 22.27 29.69 27.43 27.35 
			 Germany 18.93 23.07 27.36 21.79 27.36 
			 Greece 24.55 27.32 35.36 34.61 32.99 
			 Hungary 16.58 20.17 26.27 19.73 23.03 
			 Ireland 19.11 24.72 29.06 22.74 27.19 
			 Italy 22.52 24.25 30.62 28.08 29.89 
			 Latvia 16.50 18.66 22.55 17.16 22.21 
			 Lithuania 14.30 17.24 20.75 16.78 22.24 
			 Luxembourg 21.4 25.52 30.78 24.66 26.32 
			 Malta  
			 Netherlands 19.5 2 23.22 29.40 24.61 27.77 
			 Poland 17.85 20.88 24.74 20.38 24.17 
			 Portugal 19.23 22.38 29.71 26.67 25.34 
			 Romania18.71 21.18 
			 Slovakia 17.58 20.49 26.38 19.26 24.15 
			 Slovenia 18.55 19.79 27.03 23.80 23.74 
			 Spain 20.80 25.00 31.00 26.82 25.98 
			 Sweden 20.12 22.12 29.42 24.04 29.74 
			 United Kingdom 17.98 20.80 25.78 23.71 24.65 
		
	
	Source: DG Agri and DairyCo (There is a small difference between the DG Agri and Defra figures for the UK price)
	UK dairy farmers are among the most efficient and competitive in Europe. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food (the right honourable Jim Paice MP) has challenged the industry to capture more of domestic and export markets given the low farmgate price paid relative to our European competitors.

Agriculture: Dairy Farms

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many tonnes of milk products have been exported for each of the past seven years.

Lord Henley: The tables below show the volume of liquid milk and milk products exported from the UK as recorded in the official overseas trade statistics for the period 2004-2010.
	Liquid milk is exported from the UK in two forms, as raw milk for processing by dairies, or as liquid drinking milk (eg, pasteurised or UHT milk). Raw milk is only traded across the Irish border-that is, raw milk exports go from Northern Ireland for processing by dairies in the Republic of Ireland.
	UK exports of liquid milk, 2004-10
	
		
			 Description 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Raw milk for processing 434 626 617 538 559 433 418 
			 Liquid drinking milk 251 485 512 423 457 461 475 
		
	
	Source: DARDNI, HM Revenue and Customs
	2010 data are subject to amendments UK exports of milk products, 2004-10Thousand tonnes
	
		
			 Description 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Cheese 93 96 104 97 88 105 113 
			 Milk powder 186 102 96 105 98 72 91 
			 Cream 81 93 94 78 62 64 72 
			 Whey 56 75 74 67 74 49 45 
			 Ice Cream 53 51 56 39 33 39 42 
			 Butter 35 45 36 32 24 27 27 
			 Yoghurt 12 22 17 17 17 21 23 
			 Buttermilk 13 20 22 25 14 18 17 
			 Condensed milk 18 4 6 6 3 4 6 
			 Other 11 0 1 1 1 0 1 
		
	
	Source: H M Revenue and Customs
	2010 data is subject to amendments

Airports: Heathrow

Lord Soley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 19 July (HL11133), what discussions have taken place between government officials and representatives of the government of China or Chinese companies on additional landing rights at Heathrow Airport.

Earl Attlee: Government officials have had a number of discussions with representatives of the Government of China and Chinese airlines about issues around securing access to Heathrow within current infrastructure constraints, including at the last round of formal UK/China air services negotiations held on 12 to 14 April 2011 and at a meeting with the Deputy Administrator of the Civil Aviation Administration of China on 7 July 2011.

Anti-social Behaviour: Women

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued to women in each of the past ten years; and how many women have been imprisoned for breach of an anti-social behaviour order.

Baroness Browning: The number of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued to females at all courts in England and Wales in each year during the period 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2009 (the period for which gender-specific data are available) is set out in the table attached. During the same period, 595 ASBOs issued to females and proven in court to have been breached at least once resulted in a sentence of immediate custody.
	
		
			 Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) issued to females(1) at all courts(2) as reported to the Ministry of Justice(3) by the Court Service, 1 June 2000 to 31 December 2009 
			 England and Wales 
			  Total issued Jun00 - Dec 00 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
			 Total 2,585 17 44 59 198 482 543 382 287 317 256 
		
	
	(1) ASBOs became available on 1 April 1999. No gender details are available for the period April 1999 to May 2000.
	(2) Includes ASBOs issued on application by magistrates' courts acting in their civil capacity and county courts, which became available on 1 April 1999 and ASBOs made following conviction for a relevant criminal offence at the Crown Court and at magistrates' courts (acting in their criminal capacity), which became available on 2 December 2002.
	(3) Prior to the creation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007, data on ASBOs issued were reported to Home Office by the Court Service.
	Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	Prepared by Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice.

Artists' Resale Right

Lord Freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Wilcox on 7 July (WA 87), on what date they submitted their written evidence to the European Commission's review of the artists' resale right directive.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: The IPO submitted a response to the Commission's call for evidence on 15 March 2011, on behalf of the UK Government. The IPO response is available online: http://www.ipo.gov.uk/c-policy-artist-response.pdf.

Assessment of Resources Regulations

Lord Lipsey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the consultation undertaken in 2010, whether any decisions have been made regarding the treatment of personal injury payments, the treatment of investment bonds which contain a life insurance element, the treatment of pre-paid funeral payments, or the 12-week disregard and top-ups in the light of the Assessment of Resources Regulations.

Earl Howe: A number of issues have been raised by the responses to the consultation. Departmental officials are working to resolve the outstanding issues and we hope to publish a government response in the near future. It has not, therefore, been possible to announce a decision on the proposals.

Atos Healthcare

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they anticipate that Atos Healthcare will be awarded the contract for undertaking the face-to-face assessments for the new personal independence payment.

Lord Freud: Enabling legislation for the personal independence payment is contained in the Welfare Reform Bill, which is before Parliament now. It would be inappropriate to speculate whether the assessment required to deliver the personal independence payment would be awarded to Atos Healthcare or any other named provider.

Atos Healthcare

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what training Atos Healthcare assessors for the work capability assessment have in autism.

Lord Freud: All healthcare professionals working for Atos Healthcare who carry out assessments for employment and support allowance are issued with evidence-based protocols on a range of conditions as part of their induction training. This includes information on autism.
	In addition, all healthcare professionals are required to engage in a programme of continuing medical education and autism is covered within a self-directed learning module, "Life with Autism, Seeing the Individual". The module is presented as a DVD which draws from professionals in the field of autism including Dr Lorna Wing and Dr Judith Gould and "testimonials" from people living with autism and how it affects their lives.

Aviation: Passenger Duty

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in their assessment of the need for and size of airport taxes, they have taken into account the positioning of Northern Ireland's land frontier and its communications with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether increases in air tax duty would be harmful to the economy of Northern Ireland.

Lord Sassoon: In their consultation on air passenger duty (APD), the Government recognised the unique position of Northern Ireland, given its land border with the Republic of Ireland.
	The APD consultation received a number of representations from organisations in Northern Ireland regarding reform of APD. The consultation closed on 17 June 2011 and the Government will publish their response in the autumn.

Badgers

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will announce their proposals to control tuberculosis in badgers.

Lord Henley: The Secretary of State made a Statement in the House of Commons on 19 July announcing a comprehensive and balanced TB eradication programme for England.

Badgers

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the results of the consultation on proposals to cull badgers which ended on 15 December 2010; how many responses were received to the consultation; and how many of these were respectively in favour of and against the proposals.

Lord Henley: As set out in the Consultation on Guidance to Natural England on the implementation and enforcement of a badger control policy, published on 19 July, alongside a comprehensive and balanced TB eradication programme for England, of the 59,540 responses received to the public consultation carried out in autumn 2010, 31 per cent supported culling and 69 per cent were opposed.

Badgers

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest information on the expected date of availability for an oral vaccine against tuberculosis in badgers; and, if this is later than 2015, what is the reason for the delay.

Lord Henley: Developing an oral vaccine against tuberculosis in badgers is proving more difficult than originally hoped. This means that the possibility of a usable oral badger vaccine is many years away. We cannot say with any certainty if and when an oral badger vaccine might be available for use in the field.

Badgers

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the police with a view to implementing measures with the objective of (a) preventing injury to third parties while "free-shooting" or "controlled shooting" of badgers at night is taking place, and (b) preventing persons from disrupting or sabotaging such shooting.

Lord Henley: Defra officials are working closely with officials in the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on the proposed policy to allow groups of farmers and landowners in the worst TB affected areas to apply for licences to cull badgers.

Bank of England

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the court of the Bank of England has had any formal discussion of the performance of the Bank during the financial crisis without the governor and deputy governors being present.

Lord Sassoon: The governor and deputy governors are members of the Bank's court. The court itself has not held meetings without the governor and deputy governors present. However, responsibility for monitoring the performance of the Bank lies with the committee of non-executive directors, established under Section 3 of the 1998 Bank of England Act. The committee of non-executive directors has met on a number of occasions since the start of the crisis. Its reports are included as part of the Bank's annual reports.

Bank of England

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the expected annual travel and hotel costs to be charged to the Bank of England by (a) the independent members of the Monetary Policy Committee, and (b) the independent members of the Shadow Financial Policy Committee.

Lord Sassoon: The Bank has budgeted £55,000 for hotel and travel costs incurred by external members of the Monetary Policy Committee in 2011-12. This is in line with the budget for 2010-11. It has provisionally budgeted a further £40,000 for hotel and travel costs for external members of the Financial Policy Committee in 2011-12.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 7 July (WA 89), whether the Bank of England has the authority to share detailed information on the compliance of each individual bank with Project Merlin with Ministers.

Lord Sassoon: The Bank of England will report the banks' aggregate performance under the Project Merlin lending commitments on a quarterly basis. The Merlin banks submit their respective lending data directly to the Bank of England.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government who signed the letter of commitment in respect of Project Merlin on behalf of HSBC; and in which role they so signed.

Lord Sassoon: The letter confirming the banks' commitment to the collective statement on lending, tax, pay and broader contributions to the economy and to society was signed by John Varley, former group chief executive of Barclays Bank. He signed the letter on behalf of Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and the RBS and, in the context of lending, Santander. The letter is available online at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/banks_letter_090211.pdf.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the level of lending to United Kingdom small and medium-sized enterprises over each of the last three years to the end of March; and what is their assessment of the effectiveness of Project Merlin in increasing net and gross lending.

Lord Sassoon: The Bank of England publishes a quarterly assessment of the latest trends in lending to the UK economy. The most recent publication, released in July 2011, includes coverage of lending to small and medium-sized enterprises.
	Separately, the Bank of England has agreed to publish the data collected from five banks under Project Merlin on a quarterly basis. The Project Merlin data are published alongside other existing measures of lending.
	Both of these reports are available at: http://www. bankofengland.co.uk/publications/other/monetary/trendsinlending.htm
	The five banks have stated a capacity and willingness to lend £190 billion of new credit to businesses in 2011, including f76 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises. This is a 15 per cent increase on 2010 lending of £66 billion. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has made it clear that the Government will use every tool available to hold the banks to the published lending commitments which they made.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether information published by the European Banking Authority on the exposure of United Kingdom banks to the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain accords with the understanding of the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority on gross and net exposures to borrowers in those countries, including those cases where United Kingdom banks have disclosed zero exposure.

Lord Sassoon: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) collects data quarterly on major UK banks' exposures to the Euro area peripheral countries. The UK banks' disclosures to the European Banking Authority (EBA) accord with the FSA's understanding of their exposures to Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain, based on these quarterly data.
	The UK banks have completed these disclosures in a way that is consistent with the EBA guidelines. This only requires them to report country exposures which are greater than or equal to 5 per cent of their total global exposures. Where the materiality threshold is not met, firms were able to report a "zero exposure".

Banks: Debit Cards

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 18 July (WA 247) concerning the use of debit cards, whether they will now introduce legislation to forbid, or limit, charges for the use of debit cards to purchase goods or services.

Lord Sassoon: In its report on card surcharges published in June 2011, the Office of Fair Trading recommended that the Government introduce measures to prohibit retailers from imposing surcharges for payments made by debit cards. There are a number of ways of implementing the report's recommendations. The Government are considering the report and will respond to the Office of Fair Trading in due course.
	In the mean time, the Office of Fair Trading is taking action to ensure that consumers are given clear information on surcharges that apply to all forms of payment. Some retailers are already changing their practices and the Office of Fair Trading will consider taking enforcement action against those retailers who do not do so.

Banks: First Trust Bank

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Financial Services Authority has assessed the control the Government of Ireland have taken over the First Trust Bank; what was its conclusion; and whether it has assessed whether members of the Government of Ireland and the civil service involved in the management of the bank have been cleared to the level of that required of senior management in a bank.

Lord Sassoon: Allied Irish Banks plc (AIB plc) is supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland. Appointments to the board of AIB plc are a matter for AIB plc, its shareholders and the Central Bank of Ireland.
	AIB Group (UK) plc, which includes First Trust Bank (its Northern Ireland brand), is separately authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
	AIB Group (UK) plc board appointments are a matter for the company and must meet the FSA Approved Person requirements.

Banks: Stress Tests

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the stress test of banks published by the European Banking Authority has served a useful purpose.

Lord Sassoon: The European Banking Authority (EBA) stress tests served a useful purpose, both assessing the capital adequacy of the European banking sector and increasing transparency on banks' exposures, which will reduce the risk of contagion.
	Methodologically, the EBA stress tests were more demanding than last year's European Union-wide Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS) exercise, with a tougher capital threshold, using a Core Tier 1 (CT1) metric and a more rigorous peer review process.
	The EBA tests have also provided the markets with significant amounts of additional information on the exposures of Europe's banks, including their sovereign debt holdings. In what was described by the EBA as "an unprecedented level of transparency", approximately 20 times as much data was released as part of this year's tests as was published under last year's CEBS exercise. As well as reducing uncertainty across the banking sector, this additional information will allow markets to carry out their own stress tests to reflect better the rapidly changing market conditions.
	Just as importantly, we have also seen a commitment by member states to put in place credible plans to address the vulnerabilities revealed by the stress tests. In respect of the eight banks that failed the test, the EBA report outlines that "national supervisors should ensure that these banks are requested to present within three months to their competent authorities a plan to restore the capital position to a level at least equal to the 5% threshold [and that] the remedial measures agreed will have to be fully implemented by end 2011".
	In addition, banks that are above but "close to the 5% CT1 threshold and which have sizeable exposures to sovereigns under stress" are required to take specific steps to strengthen their capital position, including, where necessary, restrictions on dividends, deleveraging, issuance of fresh capital or conversion of lower-quality instruments into CT1 capital.

Benefits: Disability

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, in the light of the commitments made that the assessment for the personal independence payment (PIP) will capture the needs of people with autism, to change the draft criteria for the PIP to ensure that the specific needs of people with autism are fully taken into account.

Lord Freud: We are absolutely committed to developing the detail of the assessment for the benefit in an open and transparent manner. This is why we have published our initial proposals for the criteria on 9 May and why we are consulting informally on them over the summer. We want to hear views from disabled people and their organisations on how well the criteria will work and if they can be improved. To date, my officials have met with around 60 disability organisations to discuss the draft criteria and have received around 100 written responses from both organisations and individuals. We are currently looking at the National Autistic Society's initial contribution to our informal consultation on the assessment criteria and hope to continue to work with it going forwards.
	The informal consultation will end on 31 August, after which we aim to publish a further draft of the assessment criteria in the autumn, building on the findings from the testing and the feedback we receive during the informal consultation.

Benefits: Disability

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that there are enough trained professionals in the United Kingdom to assess adults with autism for the forthcoming personal independence payment.

Lord Freud: We are still considering the most appropriate delivery model for the personal independence payment assessment and no decisions have yet been taken. We envisage that assessments will be delivered by a third party contracted to the department and commercial activity is planned to begin later this year. The department will rigorously evaluate all proposals to ensure both assessment capability and capacity is deliverable.
	As part of the successful delivery of personal independence payment, we know it will be vital to ensure that appropriate training, guidance and support are provided for assessors and decision-makers. This is relevant not only for autistic spectrum disorders but for other health conditions and impairments, to ensure that the new assessment accurately and consistently enables support to be targeted to those with the greatest need. We are keen to work with disabled people and their organisations to ensure that we get the training and guidance right.
	Both the Minister for Disabled People and departmental officials have met with the National Autistic Society, for example, to discuss our reform proposals and to seek its views on how the new benefit can best support those with autism. We agree with many of the points raised in the National Autistic Society's report on DLA reform, Who Benefits?, and we are looking closely at how these recommendations can be incorporated into its design.

British Embassies: Business Plans

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish in full the recently submitted business plans by Her Majesty's Ambassadors to (a) Kazakhstan, (b) Kyrgyzstan, (c) Tajikistan, (d) Turkmenistan, (e) Uzbekistan, (f) Armenia, (g) Azerbaijan, and (h) Georgia.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We have no plans to publish these documents. We do, however, publish a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Departmental Business Plan, which is updated on a monthly basis. This can be found on the FCO website, http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/publicationsl/annual-reports/business-plan/
	I set out the Government's policy priorities in the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus during the short debate called by the noble Lord on 30 November 2010, Official Report, cols. GC 132-47.

British Embassies: Business Plans

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the recently submitted business plan by Her Majesty's Ambassador to Mongolia.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We have no plans to publish this document. We do, however, publish a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) departmental business plan, which is updated on a monthly basis. This can be found on the FCO website: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/publications1/annual-reports/business-plan/.

Burma

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to respond to the Human Rights Watch report Dead Men Walking: Convict Porters on the Front Lines in Eastern Burma; and whether they intend to raise its conclusions and recommendations with their international partners and at the United Nations.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We commend the recent Human Rights Watch report, which carefully documents the Burmese army's use of convicts as porters, human shields and mine sweepers. The report makes a number of recommendations to the Burmese Government, to the international community, regional countries and to the UN system. We support the report's recommendations, including the reference to the UN special rapporteur's call for the UN to consider establishing a commission of inquiry. We also continue to work with EU partners and other like-minded and regional countries to highlight the ongoing systematic and appalling human rights abuses in Burma in the UN's human rights bodies.

Childcare Act 2006

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State has set any targets under section 1(3) of the Childcare Act 2006; what those targets are; to what extent they have been achieved by local authorities; and how many local authorities have met the targets and how many have not.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government have removed the requirement for local authorities to set targets for improving the well-being of young children in the area.

Childcare Act 2006

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they have that local authorities in England are complying with the following sections of the Childcare Act 2006: (a) section 3(2); (b) section 3(3); (c) section 3(4); (d) section 3(6); and (e) section 12.

Lord Hill of Oareford: A range of evidence is available to help government assess whether outcomes for families and young children are improving, including through the early years foundation stage framework, Ofsted inspection arrangements and other sources.
	The department publishes national statistics on the take-up of the free entitlement to early education for all three and four year-olds. The most recent data show that overall 95 per cent of children are accessing at least part of the free entitlement (93 per cent of three year-olds and 98 per cent of four year-olds). Eighty-six per cent of those accessing free places are doing so for more than 13 hours per week. The Government are also developing new arrangements to improve local accountability, including new requirements on local authorities to report data about their spending on early years services and in future children's centre payment by results (trials of which are starting this year).
	The department also commissioned an independent survey last year, where 66 per cent of Family Information Service (FIS) managers who responded reported that their FIS was fully meeting the Section 12 information duty requirements of the Childcare Act 2006.

Children: Bullying

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the bullying of children with learning disabilities.

Lord Hill of Oareford: This Government are committed to tackling all forms of bullying, especially those motivated by prejudice. In our schools White Paper, The Importance of Teaching, we highlighted pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) as a group particularly vulnerable to bullying and made it clear that schools should take a tough stance where it occurs.
	Schools will be held to account on how they tackle all forms of bullying through the new Ofsted inspections framework. To help schools, we published updated advice in July to enable all school staff to identify, prevent and tackle prejudice-based bullying, including the bullying of children with SEND. That advice includes signposting schools to specialist organisations such as Mencap and the Anti-Bullying Alliance, which can support them in tackling the bullying of children with SEND.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HM Revenue and Customs classify ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) as a mental health condition; and, if so, whether this accords with clinical advice.

Lord Sassoon: Where HM Revenue and Customs requires details of a health condition, it would look to the customer to provide medical evidence or may request details from a healthcare professional or mental health social worker.

Commonwealth

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that Parliament is able to debate and express a view upon the admission of further states to the Commonwealth before such admissions are agreed.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Membership of the Commonwealth is a matter for the Commonwealth Secretariat and decisions are made by consensus of the heads of all member states. The Government would consult fully before making any decision on whether to support the admission of any further states.

Companies House: Forms

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks are made to authenticate details submitted to Companies House on forms AP01 and AP02.

Lord De Mauley: As was the case under the last Government, it is the responsibility of the company in question to check the information it files. No checks are made to authenticate details submitted to Companies House on forms AP01 and AP02 due to the volume of forms received. However, when these forms are filed with Companies House electronically, rather than on paper, the "authentication code" (a form of electronic signature that is sent to a company's registered office when it registers with Companies House for electronic filing) indicates that the form comes from a source approved by the company.

Court of the Bank of England

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether copies of the minutes of meetings of the court of the Bank of England are given to HM Treasury or the Financial Services Authority.

Lord Sassoon: The minutes of the court are not circulated to the Treasury or to the Financial Services Authority (FSA). However, the chairman of the FSA, in his capacity as a director of the Bank, receives minutes of the court's meetings.

Court of the Bank of England

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the court of the Bank of England conducts regular reviews of board efficiency in accordance with the recommendations of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC); and, if it does, whether these are facilitated by a third party, as recommended by the FRC; on what dates the last three reviews were conducted; and whether reports of the reviews were submitted to HM Treasury.

Lord Sassoon: Since the present court of the Bank of England was formed in 2009, reviews of the board's effectiveness were conducted in 2010 and 2011 by the chairman as the senior non-executive. The previous court undertook reviews in 2005, 2006 and 2008. The first of these was externally facilitated; the others were led by the chair of the non-executive directors committee. Reports are not submitted to the Treasury.

Court of the Bank of England

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HM Treasury receives copies of minutes of meetings of the court of the Bank of England and of its Audit and Risk Committee and Remuneration Committee.

Lord Sassoon: HM Treasury does not receive copies of the minutes of meetings of the court of the Bank of England or its audit and risk committee and remuneration committee.

Court of the Bank of England

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 11 July (WA 121-2), whether the court of the Bank of England has conducted a survey of its effectiveness since the collapse of the Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS in the fourth quarter of 2008; and what assessment they have made, as a shareholder, of this situation.

Lord Sassoon: The chair of the court of the Bank of England has undertaken two separate surveys of the court's effectiveness since the fourth quarter of 2008. These reports are not submitted to the Treasury.
	The Treasury Select Committee is currently carrying out an inquiry into the accountability of the Bank of England, including the role of its court. The Government awaits the findings of the committee's work.

Crime: Burglary

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they propose to address the recent increase in burglaries.

Baroness Browning: Cutting crime, including burglary, is the core responsibility of the police. By cutting bureaucracy and red tape we are reducing the burden on the police to focus on tackling those crimes. such as burglary, which matter most to their communities.
	We know that some opportunistic burglaries may be preventable, so we have made advice on burglary prevention available directly to members of the public via online crime maps and the Directgov website and through partners in the voluntary sector. We are also updating the good practice available for frontline staff.

Crime: Stalking

Lord Dear: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many crimes of (a) homicide, (b) wounding, and (c) grievous bodily harm, were recorded by police forces in England and Wales in 2009-10 that were preceded by stalking behaviour.

Baroness Browning: Data for homicide, wounding and grievous bodily harm offences are collected from police forces via the main recorded crime return and it is not possible to identify which of these were preceded by stalking behaviour.
	Additionally, the Home Office collects more detailed information on homicides via the homicide index. While there has been an option for police to record whether a victim has been harassed, threatened or followed by the principal suspect since 2007-08, these data have not been quality assured for publication. Rather they are of operational value to police in individual cases.

Crime: Suspicious Activity Reports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many entries there are on the Serious Organised Crime Agency's Elmer database of Suspicious Activities Reports; and according to what criteria entries on the database are removed.

Baroness Browning: On 22 June 2011, there were 1,834,049 records on the Elmer database.
	The criteria for removal of records from the database are unchanged from those recorded in the Information Commissioner's report to the House of Lords European Union Committee published on 20 January 2011 which stated that "SOCA clarified in evidence that each SAR is assigned a deletion date of ten years after receipt and is automatically deleted unless it has been amended or updated in which case the deletion date is reset to six years following that event. SOCA also confirmed that there is also a procedure for earlier deletion of individual SARs where all necessary activity relating to that SAR has been undertaken and SOCA estimated that 20,880 SARs have been permanently deleted from the database."
	Further to the recommendations of that report, SOCA is currently formulating a new retention and deletion policy.

Crime: Suspicious Activity Reports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what organisations have direct "desktop" access, access from a terminal in a local police station, or access in the premises of the Serious Organised Crime Agency, to the Elmer database of Suspicious Activity Reports.

Baroness Browning: Access to the full Elmer database is limited to the UK Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU) in SOCA, and authorised personnel performing data analysis in SOCA.
	Desktop access to a restricted view of the Elmer database is provided to all investigative functions within the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), all UK police forces, the nine Regional Asset Recovery Teams (RARTs) and to the following organisations:
	Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre
	Civil Recovery Unit, Scotland
	Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Northern Ireland
	Department for Work and Pensions
	HM Revenue and Customs
	National Policing Improvement Agency (access limited to training database only)
	Northern Ireland Environment Agency
	Royal Mail
	Serious Fraud Office
	Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency
	Social Security Agency, Northern Ireland
	UK Border Agency.

Crime: Suspicious Activity Reports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many anonymous Suspicious Activity Reports have been received by the Serious Organised Crime Agency; how many of those were entered onto the Elmer database when received; and how many of have been subsequently removed.

Baroness Browning: On 22 June 2011, there were 1,303 Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) on the Elmer database where the source has been recorded as anonymous.
	All SARs received by the Serious Organised Crime Agency are recorded on the Elmer database regardless of whether or not they were submitted anonymously.
	The deletion process does not categorise deleted records by source type. Therefore it is not possible to quantify how many anonymous SARs have been removed from the database.

Crime: Suspicious Activity Reports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to disclose to subjects of Suspicious Activity Reports the existence of those reports in accordance with the first, third and fifth principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Baroness Browning: The Government have no plans to do this. The Data Protection Act 1998 allows for any member of the public to request access to their personal data under Section 7 of the Act, and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) has an established process for dealing with such inquiries. However, the individual responses may be subject to statutory exemptions.
	If the subjects of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) were proactively told of their existence it would undermine the SARs regime and in particular would cut across the criminal offences in Sections 333A ("tipping off') and 342 ("offences of prejudicing investigations") of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Crown Estate

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what person, body or bodies has or have the ultimate ownership of the Crown Estate.

Lord Sassoon: The Crown Estate belongs to the reigning monarch "in right of The Crown".

Debt

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the assumption used by the European Banking Authority in its stress test of major European and United Kingdom banks that all sovereign debt issued by European Union countries should be assumed to be unimpaired and of identical value.

Lord Sassoon: The European Banking Authority (EBA) stress tests did not assume all EU sovereign debt to be of identical value.
	In the trading book, haircuts were applied to distressed sovereign debt that reflected to varying degrees the movements in market prices. UK banks hold the majority of their sovereign debt on their trading books. Market prices were also reflected in those securities held on the banking book on an "available for sale" basis or those designated at fair value through profit and loss.
	While banks were not required to have impairments for distressed non-defaulted government bonds held in the banking book on a held-to-maturity basis, they were required to consider provisions and have credit risk parameters of at least an EBA benchmark level for low-rated sovereign debt.
	The EBA issued additional guidance, available on its website, which set a floor for banks' assumptions of probabilities of default for sovereign and financial institution exposures so that firms' expected and unexpected losses would increase appropriately in the stress test and that banks made appropriate provisions against these losses.

Disabled People

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that those with disabilities are protected from discrimination prior to birth.

Earl Howe: Under English law a foetus is not recognised as being a separate person from its mother. It has no rights independent of its mother until it is born alive and has an independent existence.

Dr Kwame Nkrumah

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what papers they hold, not including those already released to the National Archives, about Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Lord Howell of Guildford: In addition to material already released to the National Archives, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has identified one Colonial Office file on Kwame Nkrumah which is currently retained under Section 23 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) due to the sensitivity of the material it contains. In line with standard practice, this file will be reviewed for release again if requested under the FOIA.
	Other records held by the FCO may also contain documents relating to Kwame Nkrumah. These include the records of former colonial administrations which are currently being reviewed for transfer to the National Archives, as my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary explained in his Written Ministerial Statement of 5 May 2011 (Official Report, column WS 28). No records relating to Kwame Nkrumah have yet been identified during this review.

Electoral Register

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 26 January (WA 958), what further consideration they have made of nominating a main residence for electoral roll purposes.

Lord De Mauley: The Government have no current plans to restrict the right of second home owners who meet the residence requirement to register in two places. We are considering what changes to the registration process might be beneficial in the context of the move to individual electoral registration.

EU: Defence Procurement

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the European Union directive on cross-border competition for defence goods will come into effect.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to exercise the prerogative of national security in excluding non-United Kingdom companies from defence procurements under Article 346 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Lord Astor of Hever: Directive 2009/81/EC-the Defence and Security Directive-will come into force on 21 August 2011.
	Article 346 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union allows the UK to withhold information, the disclosure of which it considers contrary to the essential interests of UK security. In addition Article 346 allows the UK to take such measures as it considers necessary for the protection of the essential interests of UK security which are connected with the production of or trade in arms, munitions and war material. The application of Article 346 is limited to exceptional and clearly defined cases and has to be interpreted strictly.
	It is anticipated that the provisions of Article 346 will be invoked, potentially with the effect of excluding non-UK companies, where the provisions of the directive are unable to adequately protect the security interests of the UK in a particular procurement. These measures may be required where there are particularly demanding security of supply or security of information requirements.

Falkland Islands

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are in negotiations with the Government of Argentina over the future exploitation of any oil deposits that may be found in waters around the Falkland Islands.

Lord Howell of Guildford: No. Policy on hydrocarbons development within Falkland Islands waters is primarily a matter for the Falkland Islands Government. Argentina has introduced legislation which aims to prevent investment in Falklands' hydrocarbons. However, we remain keen to foster a constructive relationship with Argentina in the South Atlantic, and both we and the Falkland Islands Government have offered to co-operate with Argentina on mutually beneficial South Atlantic issues, including on specific hydrocarbon-related matters.

Falkland Islands

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what communications they have received in the past year from foreign Governments concerning the future of the Falkland Islands.

Lord Howell of Guildford: With the exception of Argentina, this Government have received no communications this past year from foreign Governments on the future of the Falkland Islands, though the issue is often discussed as part of wider bilateral conversations. The Government of Argentina regularly repeat their request for negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. However, the UK has a long-standing position, which we have made consistently clear-including to Argentina-that the UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, and that there will be no negotiations on sovereignty unless or until the Falkland Islanders so wish.

Falkland Islands

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any representations from the Government of the United States about the future of the Falkland Islands.

Lord Howell of Guildford: This Government have received no representations from the US on the future of the Falkland Islands. The US recognises the UK's administration of the Falkland Islands. This Government have continued to make it clear that the UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. We raise our position regularly with the US.

Falkland Islands

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is responsible for the issue of licences permitting the exploration for minerals in waters surrounding the Falkland Islands.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Policy on mineral exploration in Falklands waters is primarily a matter for the Falkland Islands Government (FIG): the natural resources of a UK overseas territory belong to that territory. Licences are granted by the FIG, subject to the consent of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

Falkland Islands

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last received representations from the United Nations concerning the Falkland Islands.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The United Nations does not make direct representations to the Government over the Falkland Islands. The UN Special Committee on Decolonisation (C24) operates as a subsidiary of the United Nations General Assembly and discusses the Falkland Islands annually, most recently in June 2011. The last time the General Assembly discussed the Falkland Islands was 1988. The last time the United Nations Security Council discussed the Falkland Islands was 1982.

Female Genital Mutilation

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance is given to social workers regarding registration and action in relation to female genital mutilation.

Earl Howe: The multi-agency practice guidelines, Female Genital Mutilation (2011), include a chapter of guidance for social workers. The guidance underlines the importance of applying child safeguarding procedures in order to minimise or prevent harm to the child or children. The guidance advises that when there is a referral to children's social care, a strategy meeting should be convened with relevant agencies, in order to agree a plan to protect the child. It is suggested that information should be provided to the family on the risks associated with female genital mutilation (FGM) and that securing parental consent for any action plan is desirable. If a girl faces the immediate risk of undergoing female genital mutilation then an emergency protection order can be obtained. The guidelines advise that a girl who has already undergone FGM should not be on the child protection register-unless other child protection concerns exist. The web link is www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_124588.pdf.
	Working Together to Safeguard Children-A Guide to Inter-agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children also contains a section on FGM, aimed at all health professionals working directly with children and young people. The web link is: www. education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationdetail/page1/DCSF-00305-2010.
	The joined-up approach that this coalition Government have taken to tackle FGM has been successful in drawing together, co-ordinating and driving work from the Home Office, Foreign Office, Department for Education and Department of Health. By looking beyond traditional departmental silos, we have made significant progress in raising awareness of FGM and supporting professionals to intervene.
	We have an ambitious action plan for 2011-12 to prevent and tackle FGM, co-ordinated across all relevant government departments. We have also reached out to work with a range of charities and civil society partners that are active in this area. Their wealth of experience has been crucial in shaping our work.
	Communications about FGM are key to bringing the issue to more people's attention. More than 40,000 leaflets and 40,000 posters have been circulated to schools, health services, charities and community groups around the country-this is not an end in itself but a crucial foundation on which to build.
	The new multi-agency practice guidelines launched in February 2011 are a key step in ensuring that professionals are able and confident to intervene to protect girls at risk.
	There have been some successful initiatives from the police too-the Metropolitan Police's Project Azure's work at Heathrow to speak to families potentially taking the girls overseas for FGM has strengthened our last line of defence for these girls.

Female Genital Mutilation

Lord Rea: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact the cuts in police funding will have on police activities to combat female genital mutilation.

Baroness Browning: Female genital mutilation is an illegal and abhorrent practice which is totally unacceptable in our society. The Government have made a clear commitment to tackling this form of violence in our action plan to end violence against women and girls. The allocation of resources by individual police forces is an operational matter which must be decided locally. However, we expect police forces to follow the strong lead which the Government have shown and make sufficient resources available to provide the level of support needed in their areas.

Finance: High Frequency Share Trading

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they anticipate receiving the report from the group on high frequency share trading established in September 2010; and how many times Ministers have met with members of the group since it was established.

Lord Sassoon: The Foresight Project "Future of Computer Trading in Financial Markets" was officially launched on 23 November 2010. Foresight reports directly to the government Chief Scientific Adviser and the Cabinet Office. It is part of the Government Office for Science within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The project is exploring how computer-generated trading in financial markets might evolve in the next 10 years and is considering options for addressing the key challenges and opportunities that may arise. A final report will be produced and made publicly available in autumn 2012. However, interim findings may be released sooner, if appropriate.
	The project's High-Level Stakeholder Group is chaired by Mark Hoban MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury. It met for the first time on 18 July 2011.

Finance: Investors

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps the Financial Services Authority is taking to return funding to British investors following the case of United States v Michael Geraud in the southern district of Florida; and whether it has been in contact with all the United Kingdom citizens concerned.

Lord Sassoon: As this is a prosecution by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), it is formally the role of the SEC to return any funds recovered to UK victims. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) understands that the SEC intends to return any funds directly to investors.
	Based on information supplied by the SEC, the FSA has contacted the relevant UK investors in order to enhance its understanding of how to prevent further share sale fraud. It is possible that there are further investors who have not been identified by the investigators.

Finance: Stocks and Shares

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the steps taken by the Financial Services Authority to regulate the market in stock and share lending; and what actions have been taken to ensure that beneficial owners of lent securities are aware of the repurchase agreement nature of the underlying transaction.

Lord Sassoon: Work carried out by the Financial Services Authority in 2009 concluded that there were deficiencies in the understanding of some market participants, particularly trustees, about the consequences of stock being lent and the potential risks that might arise from this activity. As a result, the Stock Lending and Repo Committee, chaired by the Bank of England, agreed that further guidance material should be developed to improve overall levels of understanding among market participants. This material was developed jointly by a number of industry bodies, as well as the Pensions Regulator, the Financial Services Authority and the Treasury. It is available online at http://www. bankofengland.co.uk/markets/gilts/slrc.htm.

Financial Services Authority

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the accountability of the Financial Services Authority, and its successors, in cases where regulatory defects or mistakes lead to claims against the Financial Services Compensation Scheme that result in significant payments to the scheme by authorised firms above their annual levy.

Lord Sassoon: There are a number of mechanisms by which the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is held to account for the effectiveness of its regulation, including in cases where a call has been made on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme:
	it is required to make an annual report to the Treasury, which is laid before Parliament, on how the regulator has discharged its functions and met its regulatory objectives;the chairman and other senior directors make regular appearances before the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee;complaints against the FSA may be investigated by an independent complaints commissioner, whose findings are published;there is scope for judicial review of regulatory decisions; andthe Treasury has a power to order an independent inquiry, carried out by a third party, into regulatory failure.
	As set out in the Government's White Paper, A new approach to financial regulation: the blueprint for reform, published in June 2011, these measures will apply to the successors to the FSA: the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In addition, there will be a new requirement on the PRA and FCA to make a report to the Treasury on where there may have been regulatory failure, which will be laid before Parliament.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons they have learnt from the Keydata failure; and how they will ensure that those financial firms which undertake their business responsibly are not penalised under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Lord Sassoon: The Government's proposals to reform the financial regulatory system-set out in the White Paper published on 19 June 2011-will secure better outcomes for consumers. The establishment of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as a strong and focused conduct regulator with tailored objectives and targeted powers will allow for a tougher and more proactive approach to conduct regulation, supported by greater transparency and accountability. The proposals build on the evidence of a range of failings in the current regime for conduct regulation of financial services.
	The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has a number of statutory responsibilities in relation to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). As the rule-making body for FSCS funding, the FSA has commenced a review of the funding model of the FSCS. It will proceed to a formal public consultation once discussions on European directives affecting compensation arrangements have been concluded. The successor regulatory authorities to the FSA, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the FCA, will take over the FSA's responsibilities with respect to the FSCS.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering making changes to the operation of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and in particular how it will operate, be managed and relate to UK regulatory authorities once the Financial Services Authority has passed on its responsibilities to successor organisations.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Lord Sassoon: The Government published a White Paper, A new approach to financial regulation: the blueprint for reform, in June 2011. This sets out a number of proposed changes relating to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the context of reform of the framework for financial regulation.
	Under these proposals, the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority (the successor regulatory authorities to the Financial Services Authority (FSA)) will take over the FSA's current functions and responsibilities with respect to the FSCS. They will have joint responsibility for oversight of the FSCS, including ensuring that the FSCS is capable of exercising its statutory functions and for appointing the FSCS board.
	Responsibility for making the rules which constitute the compensation scheme, including rules relating to the administration of compensation and levying authorised persons, will be shared between the two new regulators. The scope of these rule-making powers will be set out in secondary legislation. In order to increase the transparency and accountability of the FSCS, the FSCS will be subject to audit by the National Audit Office.
	The regulators will be under an obligation to consult each other when making rules for the compensation scheme and they will be required to set out in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) how they will co-ordinate their functions in relation to the FSCS. The FSCS will also be required to maintain MOUs with each of the regulators.

Firearms: Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group

Lord Dear: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect that the Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group will report and make recommendations to Ministers.

Baroness Browning: The work of the Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group is still continuing with evidence and views being sought and discussed. Its aim is to improve the forms used, thereby reducing bureaucracy for the police and increasing efficiency. It is intended that this will be achieved later this year.

Fluoridation

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 26 April (WA 47), whether they are now able to answer the question whether the pattern of general health in Birmingham differs from other parts of the United Kingdom.

Earl Howe: No differences have been identified between the general health of the population of Birmingham and other areas of a similar social and economic profile in which the fluoride content has not been adjusted.

Fluoridation

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to dental health what is the decayed/missing/filled rate for Manchester; how this compares with Birmingham; and to what extent any difference is attributable to the fluoridation of water in Birmingham.

Earl Howe: The NHS Dental Epidemiology Programme for England Oral Health Survey of12 Year-Old Children 2008/2009 shows that the average number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) of 12 year-old children in the area of Birmingham primary care trust (PCT) was 0.61 compared to a DMFT of 2.13 for Manchester PCT. There is no plausible explanation for the more favourable position of Birmingham other than the fluoridation of its water supply.
	The full results of the survey are available at: www.nwph.net/dentalhealth/. The table from the survey that includes the above data has been placed in the Library.

Gary McKinnon

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the current revelations concerning phone hacking, the elapse of time involved and his medical condition, whether they will review their decision to extradite Gary McKinnon.

Baroness Verma: As the noble Lord is aware, the only issue which the Home Secretary must now determine in this case is whether Mr McKinnon's extradition to the US would be compatible with his human rights.
	To aid her assessment of this issue, the Home Secretary agreed to receive up-to-date representations from Mr McKinnon's solicitors. These are under consideration.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Economics of organic farming 2009/10 to 2010/11"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg, costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, et cetera).
	A contract variation for project "0F0373: Economics of Organic Farming" was agreed by the department for an extension of the end date from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2012, and an increase of the project budget from £252,158 to £322,127.
	The purpose of the extension was to analyse data for two additional years (2009-10 and 2010-11) and carry out a more in-depth analysis of farm finances. This was to provide the department with robust farm business information following the economic downturn.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Control and risk management of honey bee pests and diseases"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: The project "Control and risk management of honey bee pests and diseases" (PH0506) is being carried out by the National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Food and Environment Research Agency. The three-year project was commissioned in 2009 and had four modules covering research on pests and diseases in support of bee health policy. In 2010 a variation to the project was agreed to include a module on the epidemiology of American foulbrood (AFB), which complements the work that the NBU is doing under the Insect Pollinators Initiative on European foulbrood (EFB). AFB and EFB are two of the most serious diseases that affect honey bees and therefore are subject to statutory control in the UK. Additional funds of £70,000 were added to Project PH0506 to cover the cost of this work.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Multiplex approaches for biochemical TSE strain characterisation and differentiation"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The project titled "Multiplex approaches for biochemical TSE strain characterisation and differentiation" was designed to develop methods to characterise and differentiate between TSE strains. Results from the project indicated additional work would provide useful information on the effectiveness of the methodology for atypical TSE strains and so a contract variation was agreed.
	The variation to the contract resulted in an extended end-date and an increase of £19,000 to the total cost of the project to the department.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Modelling of tropospheric ozone"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	In December 2010 the Defra contract "Modelling of Tropospheric Ozone" was amended to include £3,175 of additional work. Additional work was required to allow the setting up of a new data delivery system for meteorological data following modifications to the UK Met Office Unified Model.
	In March 2011 the Defra contract "Modelling of Tropospheric Ozone" was amended to include £14,718 of additional work. This was to make provisions in the contract to carry out 11 additional ozone modelling runs with the Ozone Source-Receptor Model to support Defra's ozone policy development, including revision of the Gothenburg Protocol.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "The impact of shortened rotations on rhizosphere microbial diversity"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The project IF0128: "The impact of shortened rotations on rhizosphere microbial diversity" was extended for a further 122 days at a cost of £30,065.
	The reason for the agreed change was to enable the research group to investigate the impact of an extended crop rotation interval on fungal communities in the rhizosphere of oilseed rape in relation to yield decline. The research has already shown significant reductions in oilseed rape yield when it is grown more frequently in rotation, and this year will demonstrate whether a longer gap between oilseed rape crops can restore yields.
	Specifically, the extended time and cost would be used to (i) collect and process field samples from the final year of The Arable Group field trials on arable rotations, (ii) extract DNA from samples and use molecular techniques (Polymerase Chain Reaction-Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) to characterise the rhizosphere fungal communities of oilseed rape grown in extended rotations, and (iii) use molecular techniques (quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction) to quantify the levels of specific fungi in the rhizosphere community to determine whether they are related to reduced yields observed with more frequent cropping.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Unlocking the potential of community composting"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	In this particular instance a first variation was arranged to cover substantial revisions to the project report and annexes following review, for an additional cost of £900.
	A second variation was arranged to extend the end-date to 23 March 2010 to take into account the final detail of the "Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010" in the report. There was no cost associated with this second variation.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project Further Development of Guidance on Aged Sorption on Pesticides in Soil; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) project Further Development of Guidance on Aged Sorption on Pesticides in Soil will contribute to the development of EU guidance on the interpretation of data on aged soils as part of the risk assessment for pesticides. Fera has been granted an extension to the deadline for completion of the project to allow analysis of more data than was originally planned. The project will now finish at the end of September 2011.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Studies on the environmental persistence of TSE infectivity"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Studies on the environmental persistence of TSE infectivity" to enable verification of the results and to provide additional value to the department by inclusion of a newly developed test.
	The variation to the contract resulted in an extended end-date and an increase of £237,976 to the total cost of the project to the department.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Studies on environmental scrapie strains re-isolated in sheep"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The department does not fund a project titled "Studies on environmental scrapie strains re-isolated in sheep". However, it does fund a project titled "Studies on murine scrapie strains re-isolated in sheep". For this project a contract variation was agreed to extend the end-date of the project to enable the contractor to undertake additional work at no extra cost to the department.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Review of Transboundary air pollution (RoTAP)"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The "Review of Transboundary air pollution" contract was amended to extend the end-date to allow the contractor more time to complete a report. The value of the contract was not changed.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Maintenance and scientific curation of the national fruit collection"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The project titled "The long term maintenance and Scientific Curation of the National Fruit Collection" was initiated to efficiently and effectively conserve the genetic resources of the National Fruit Collection to meet the UK's national and international obligations.
	As a variation to the contract, the department agreed to make an additional payment of £30,998.40 in 2010-11 towards costs associated with propagation.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Scenario Development for future waste policy"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	The variations to the contract for the project "Scenario Development for future waste policy" were due to:
	a decision to increase the amount of stakeholder involvement and consultation through workshops necessitated an increase in the number of personnel days for the core team and waste management advisors: 34 extra days at a total cost of £22,650;near the end of the project, an additional milestone comprising development of feedback loops, stakeholder review of the report, and additional calculations on energy from waste and carbon dioxide emissions within the scenarios: 13 extra days at a total cost of £5,850; andsome additional work following the end of the project to update the report in the light of policy developments pertaining to the Government's review of waste policies: seven days of additional work at a total increase in costs of £3,150.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Investigation of sheep to sheep passage on the BSE strain phenotype"; and for what reasons.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).
	A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Investigation of sheep to sheep passage on the BSE strain phenotype" to re-profile the finances of the project following delays to the work.
	The variation to the contract resulted in a decrease of £42,403 to the total cost of the project to the department, and had no effect on the end-date.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Lea of Crondall: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Wilcox on 20 July (HL11081), what data they collate on the proportion of the workforces based in the United Kingdom of the top 20 United Kingdom-based multinationals specified in the Financial Times Global 500.

Lord De Mauley: As was the case under the last Government, the relevant data which are collected by the Office for National Statistics are collected subject to non-disclosure agreement.

Government Departments: Websites

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how often and in what circumstances is the website of the Department for Education updated.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The website has multiple updates every working day, and outside working hours if necessary (for example, if a press release is issued at the weekend, or if a deployment of new technology is scheduled). The website is the department's primary channel to all audiences and so is updated whenever we need to provide information or to engage our audiences.

Government: Policy

Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the present policy for Cabinet collective responsibility.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: Section 2 of the Ministerial Code, which was published in May 2010, sets out the position on collective responsibility. Collective responsibility is also covered in part 2 of the Coalition Agreement for Stability and Reform, which was also published in May 2010.

Health: Cancer

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people with cancer continue to receive critical financial support for as long as their disability or long-term condition limits their ability to work.

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to end the current system whereby the type of cancer treatment someone receives affects how they are treated in the welfare system.

Lord Freud: The department has carefully considered the position of people with a range of serious and life threatening illnesses-including cancer-in relation to the benefit system.
	It is important to treat people as individuals and assess them based on their individual needs rather than labelling them because of their condition. Cancer and its associated treatments will affect different people in different ways, and so it should not automatically be regarded as a barrier to work. While many individuals are unable to work, others can and do want to work, often with the full and engaged support of their employer. Indeed, there is evidence of the therapeutic importance of work for many cancer sufferers.
	Anyone who has cancer and is terminally ill is automatically placed in the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) support group, as are people with cancer who are receiving certain kinds of chemotherapy treatment. The support group is intended for those people with the most severe disabilities or health conditions, who are the least likely to move into work.
	Following an internal review the department has recently made changes to the work capability assessment so that more individuals undergoing certain chemotherapy treatments will automatically be placed in the support group without the need for an assessment. These changes have been in place since March 2011.
	Claimants in the support group are paid a higher rate of benefit, are not subject to work conditionality and will not be affected by our proposal currently before Parliament to introduce a one-year time limit for people claiming contributory ESA and who are placed in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG).
	People with cancer who are receiving contributory ESA and have been placed in the WRAG will be subject to time-limiting. However, those with lower incomes may be able to receive income-related ESA after their contributory ESA entitlement ends. Other benefits such as housing benefit and disability living allowance may also be available. There will always be a safety net available for those who are unable to support themselves because of longer-term health conditions such as cancer.
	Finally, Professor Harrington is also reviewing the full work capability assessment process to see if it can be further improved for cancer patients. We have recently received his recommendations and are in the process of reviewing them. We will come forward with proposals shortly.

Health: Cancer

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people with cancer can apply for financial support to help with the extra costs of being disabled as soon as their support needs arise.

Lord Freud: Disability Living Allowance is designed to provide a contribution towards the disability-related costs of severely disabled people with long-term disabilities. The required period conditions in Disability Living Allowance are essential in determining whether the needs arising from disability are likely to be of a long-standing nature and ensure that the benefit goes only to those for whom it is intended.
	The special rules provision in Disability Living Allowance enables claims from terminally ill people, including those with cancer, to be dealt with quickly and sensitively. These fast-track arrangements recognise the particular challenges faced by terminally ill people who have a short time to live and ensure that these individuals are automatically awarded the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance without having to serve the usual required period conditions.
	We intend to maintain the special rules provision in Personal Independence Payment ensuring that terminally ill people continue to receive valuable financial support through automatic and immediate payment of the enhanced rate of the daily living component.

Health: Contaminated Blood Products

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government why NHS patients infected with HIV by NHS contaminated blood products are excluded from applying to the Caxton Foundation for help.

Earl Howe: The Caxton Foundation was set up in order to provide discretionary payments to individuals who had been infected with hepatitis C by contaminated National Health Service-supplied blood and blood products, and their widows, dependants and other relatives.
	The Macfarlane and Eileen Trusts make similar payments in respect of individuals infected with HIV, and their families. Any individual who is co-infected with hepatitis C and HIV as a result of NHS treatment with blood products or blood transfusion will be able to apply for discretionary funding in respect of both infections. Applications in respect of co-infection will be considered and funded by the relevant HIV trust.

Health: Reciprocal Agreements

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 7 July (WA 99-100), why the Department for Work and Pensions no longer has records of the healthcare costs survey questionnaires sent to United Kingdom pensioners in the Republic of Ireland in relation to the numbers returned, rechecked and the number of pensions stopped or suspended as a result; when they were issued and received back by the Department for Work and Pensions; when they were destroyed and under whose authority; and what were the statistical results of the survey.

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 4 July (WA 10), how many state pensioners for each country have payments made to an address in the United Kingdom; and whether those figures could be used to base United Kingdom claims to other European Union countries for healthcare and social security costs under European regulations for European Union pensioner citizens and their dependants in the United Kingdom.

Lord Freud: I am unable to provide the number of state pensioners from each member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland who are currently having payments made to an address in the United Kingdom. This is because we do not hold this information.

Health: Reciprocal Agreements

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 12 July (WA 161), why the returned Pension Service healthcare costs questionnaires sent to United Kingdom pensioners in the Republic of Ireland were not retained; who authorised their disposal; when this was done; what statistics were drawn from the questionnaires returned; and why those questions to establish where individuals may have been in receipt of both a United Kingdom and an Irish pension were asked if the returned data were not counted.

Lord Freud: The triennial survey commenced in April 2008 and was completed July 2008. The International Pension Centre (IPC) sampled 5 per cent of UK customers resident in Ireland for analysis. Of this sample IPC wrote to 1.5 per cent (1,500) pensioners and asked them to provide details of the periods they had worked in Ireland to establish whether there was also entitlement to a qualifying Irish pension. The IPC received 1,434 responses (95.6 per cent). The IPC carried out further checks for the 4.4 per cent non-respondents, but did not separately record information on the number of pensions stopped or suspended as a result.
	Analysis of the results helped inform negotiations between the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the United Kingdom agreeing 40 per cent liability for healthcare costs.
	In line with standard data protection principles, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) only retains personal information for as long as needed under the terms on which it was collected. The DWP had no relevant reason to retain the personal information provided by the sample respondents once the analysis had been completed and the data were securely destroyed in 2010, in accordance with the DWP data retention policy for analytical, research and business management data

Health: Surgical Instruments

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 11 July (WA 134-5) concerning the monitoring of imported surgical equipment, how many allegations of non-compliance have been brought to their attention in each of the last 10 years; and what followed from each allegation.

Earl Howe: The number of allegations of non-compliance with the requirements of the medical devices regulations 2002 (as amended) received by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in relation to surgical instruments over the last 10 years is as follows:
	2001 - 9
	2002 - 8
	2003 - 8
	2005 - 5
	2006 - 4
	2007 - 2
	2008 - 6
	2009 - 3
	2010 - 10
	Note:
	1. The above figures relate to all allegations of non-compliance received for surgical instruments, not just those imported into the United Kingdom.
	All such allegations were assessed and appropriate action taken to resolve any breaches of the regulations identified. Alleged breaches ranged from failing to CE mark altogether through to labelling and registration issues but in nearly 20 per cent of cases no non-compliances were found. All cases were resolved with, where appropriate, the manufacturer taking the necessary steps to address the problems identified and there was no need to take more formal enforcement action. Under legal confidentiality requirements, the MHRA is unable to release details of individual investigations.

HM Treasury: Board of Directors

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the board of directors of HM Treasury last met; and when it last met with all independent directors present.

Lord Sassoon: Executive and non-executive directors of the Treasury meet quarterly as the departmental board. The last meeting took place on 16 June 2011. All members were present at that meeting.

Housing

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of claimants in Tower Hamlets affected by the move to set local housing allowance rates at the 30th percentile rather than the median of local market rents.

Lord Freud: It is estimated that approximately 1,900 housing benefit claimants in Tower Hamlets will be affected by the change in local housing allowance rates from the median to the 30th percentile of local market rents. The impacts of local housing allowance reforms introduced this year were published on the DWP website under the title Impacts of Housing Benefit Proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be Introduced in 2011-12.
	Customers who were receiving housing benefit according to local housing allowance rules before 1 April 2011 will receive up to nine months' transitional protection from the date their claim is reviewed by the local authority, allowing them more time to adjust to the changes.

Housing

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the average loss per claimant in Tower Hamlets of those affected by the move to set local housing allowance rates at the 30th percentile rather than the median of local market rents.

Lord Freud: Of housing benefit claimants in Tower Hamlets whose awards are reduced by the change in local housing allowance rates from the median to the 30th percentile of local market rents, the average loss is estimated at: £23 for those entitled to one bedroom; £33 for those entitled to two bedrooms; £33 for those entitled to three bedrooms; and £29 for those entitled to four bedrooms. The impacts of local housing allowance reforms introduced this year were published on the DWP website under the title "Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12".
	Customers who were receiving housing benefit according to local housing allowance rules before 1 April 2011 will receive up to nine months' transitional protection from the date their claim is reviewed by the local authority, allowing them more time to adjust to the changes.

Immigration

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government with which voluntary immigrant advice centres they are in continuous contact.

Baroness Browning: There is no single list of government contacts with voluntary immigration advice services.

Immigration

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which voluntary immigrant advice organisations they give funding.

Baroness Browning: In the current financial year, the UK Border Agency has provided funding to the following voluntary organisations which provide advice and support to migrants:
	Refugee Council of Great Britain
	Scottish Refugee Council
	Welsh Refugee Council
	Refugee Action
	Migrant Helpline
	UNHCR
	Bryson Charitable Group
	Metropolitan Support Trust (East Midlands).

Immigration

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they give to each voluntary immigrant advice centre which receives government funding.

Baroness Browning: The UK Border Agency provides funding to a number of voluntary organisations which provide advice to migrants among their services. However, it is for each organisation to decide how the funding is allocated, within the parameters laid down by the agency. Therefore, the agency does not allocate funding to specific advice centres. This information may be available directly from the organisations concerned.

Immigration: Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of border controls between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in processing legitimate crossings; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the border does not provide an illegal port of entry into the United Kingdom.

Baroness Browning: The UK Government believe that free movement for those who are lawfully present within the common travel area (CTA) provides important economic and social benefits to the UK. None the less, we are committed to preventing abuse. The chief inspector of the UK Border Agency recently assessed our controls for the common travel area. Building on his recommendations, we are working to improve controls within the UK and our joint working with Ireland to counter the threat of illegal immigration and organised immigration crime within the CTA. The UK Border Agency (UKBA), UK police and the Garda Siochana in Ireland run intelligence-led operations to reduce threats from within the CTA by conducting checks to establish individuals' entitlement to the provisions of the CTA.
	We are also working together with Ireland to prevent abuse of the CTA by strengthening the external CTA border through developing common standards and systems for entry into the CTA.

International Monetary Fund

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals that voting rights of individual countries at the International Monetary Fund should reflect (a) countries' share of global gross domestic product; (b) countries' share of the world's currency reserves; or (c) the historic disposition of economic power.

Lord Sassoon: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a quota-based institution. The IMF assigns each member country a quota share, based on a formula. A member's quota largely determines its voting power in IMF decisions. The current quota formula is a weighted average of gross domestic product (50 per cent), openness (30 per cent), economic variability (15 per cent) and international reserves (5 per cent). This information and more details on quota shares and voting rights can be found on the IMF website at http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/quotas.htm.
	In November 2010, the G20 agreed a package of far-reaching reforms of the fund's quotas and governance. Once the reform package is approved by member countries and is implemented, it will result in a major realignment of quota shares to reflect better the changing relative weights of the IMF's member countries in the global economy. Specifically, the package agreed to shift more than 6 per cent of quota shares to dynamic emerging markets and to developing countries and more than 6 per cent from overrepresented to underrepresented member countries.
	The G20 has also agreed to complete the next comprehensive review of the current quota formula by January 2013. The aim of this review will be to continue the dynamic process, aimed at enhancing the voice and representation of emerging markets and developing countries by better reflecting their economic weight in the global economy. The UK strongly supports this and, as an influential member of the IMF, will take a leading role in working with other member countries.

Internet: Broadband

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that consumers who cannot receive superfast broadband will be offered broadband by some alternative technology if Ofcom does not include a 99 per cent population coverage obligation in one of the forthcoming 4G spectrum licences to be awarded next year.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate has been made of the proportion of the population of Cumbria who will have access to (a) conventional fixed, (b) superfast, (c) wireless, and (d) satellite broadband services, by 2015.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the United Kingdom population will have access to (a) conventional fixed, (b) superfast, (c) wireless, and (d) satellite, broadband services by 2015.

Lord De Mauley: The Government's broadband strategy Britain's Superfast Broadband Future published in December 2010 stated that "the UK's ambition is to have the best superfast broadband network and connected society in Europe by 2015". The Government's ambition is that 90 per cent of all premises in the UK will have access to superfast broadband and that a fibre connection would be provided, from which at least a minimum standard broadband service would be available, to virtually all communities by 2015. All premises in the UK would have access to the minimum standard broadband service, which it is anticipated will be provided by a mixed technology solution, by 2015. The technology split would be dependent on the chosen solution, from supplier proposals, under the respective procurements that will be carried out by the local procuring authority.

Internet: Broadband

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofcom about introducing a coverage obligation of (a) 98 per cent, and (b) 99 per cent, for the forthcoming auction of 4G spectrum licences.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had on introducing a coverage obligation of (a) 98 per cent, and (b) 99 per cent, for each separate nation in the forthcoming auction of 4G spectrum licences.

Lord De Mauley: Following the direction to Ofcom in December 2010,the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries has not discussed coverage obligations with Ofcom or the devolved Administrations. The design of the auction is a matter for Ofcom, including coverage obligations, and in Ofcom's recent consultation it sought evidence to support a higher coverage obligation than the proposed 95 per cent level.

Internet: Broadband

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government when 4G wireless broadband minimum target speeds of at least two megabits per second will be available to consumers who are not to be offered superfast broadband under Ofcom's current spectrum criteria.

Lord De Mauley: Ofcom's current coverage proposal for the combined auction includes providing a service of not less than 2 megabits per second (Mbps) to an area where 95 per cent of the population lives. It is the Government's stated aim to ensure that broadband for all would be available at 2 Mbps by 2015. We have not specified which technologies would deliver that, as it is likely that a mix of different technologies including fixed, wireless broadband (both 3G and 4G) and satellite solutions will be required, with the precise mix depending on local factors such as topography and demographics.

Iraq: Camp Ashraf

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the raid on Camp Ashraf in April 2011 by Iraqi security forces.

Lord Howell of Guildford: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Alistair Burt, released a statement deploring the loss of life following the events of 8 April, as did the EU and UN. Our ambassador in Baghdad and other senior officials have expressed our concerns to the Iraqi Prime Minister, President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. We have called on the Iraqi Government to refrain from violent operations in Camp Ashraf and have requested that the circumstances of the incident are investigated. Along with the UN and other international partners, we continue to monitor events at the camp. We encourage all sides to engage in a peaceful and constructive dialogue to reach a lasting solution over the future of Camp Ashraf.

Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Israel's passing of the boycott law and its impact on freedom of speech.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are aware that the Israeli Knesset has passed a boycotts law. We are concerned by the boycotts law, which infringes on legitimate freedom of expression and runs counter to Israel's strong tradition of free and vigorous political debate. We understand that the law will be challenged in Israel's courts.

Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of British participants in the "Flytilla" by Israeli authorities; and what discussions they had with the Government of Israel preventing participants from leaving the United Kingdom.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Twelve British nationals were detained on 8 July at Ben Gurion Airport. All have now travelled back to the UK without charge. The legal basis for their detention is a matter for the Israeli authorities, and for those who were detained to follow up with their lawyers. However, our travel advice makes clear that travellers to the Occupied Palestinian Territories may face difficulties on arrival. The British nationals concerned were visited four times by consular staff, including a visit by our ambassador. Our ambassador was in repeated contact with the Israeli Government at a senior level to facilitate their return to the UK as quickly as possible, and his team were in frequent communication with the Israelis to raise and resolve issues at the working level. We will follow up any allegations of mistreatment with the Israeli authorities.

Israel and Palestine

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the United Nations report into the killing of Palestinian protesters on Nakba day on the border between Israel and Lebanon.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are aware of the United Nations report into the Nakba Day protests and have studied it carefully. We recognise Israel's important security needs but consistently underline the need for a proportionate response avoiding civilian casualties. I refer the noble Baroness to the Statement that my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary made on 15 May, "I am deeply concerned by the violence on Israel's borders today and saddened by the loss of life. I call on all parties to exercise restraint and ensure that civilian life is protected. These developments make clearer than ever that a lasting and comprehensive resolution to the conflicts in the region is urgently needed and will only be achieved through negotiation".

Libya

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with representatives of the newly recognised Government of Libya on the departure of Colonel Gaddafi.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government are in regular contact with the National Transitional Council (NTC) on a wide range of issues, including their plans for Libya's stabilisation post-Gaddafi. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Mahmoud Jibril, head of the NTC executive committee, at the 15 July Istanbul Libya Contact Group meeting.

Local Government: Finance

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support is available to facilitate the co-ordination of local government services at national level in providing information to central government departments at times of incidents and emergencies.

Baroness Hanham: Funding for co-ordination and provision of information in the event of incidents and emergencies was considered as part of the 2010 spending review and is reflected in the local government finance settlement for 2011-12 as agreed by the House of Commons on 9 February 2011.
	Formula grant is an unhypothecated block grant so local authorities are free to spend the grant on any service provided that they meet their statutory duties. For this reason, and due to the method of calculating formula grant, particularly floor damping, it is not possible to identify how much grant has been provided for any particular service. It is for local authorities to set their budgets according to the needs of their local community.

London Thames Gateway Development Corporation

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 16 March (WA 75), what representations they have received from (a) the Mayor of London, (b) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, (c) London Thames Gateway Development Corporation, and (d) other interested local parties about the transfer of functions from London Thames Gateway Development Corporation back to the local authority.

Baroness Hanham: We have not received any formal representations on the transfer of functions from the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is the department's intention to transfer all of its functions to local boroughs, except where a mayoral development corporation has been designated. The decision to establish a mayoral development corporation and to set its specific boundary rests with the Mayor of London. He consulted on his proposals for a corporation between February and April 2011 and sought representations from the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation, local boroughs and other interested local parties.

Middle East

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their priorities for the forthcoming United Nations Security Council's open debate on the Middle East.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Our priorities for the forthcoming United Nations Security Council open debate on the Middle East remain as they are now: to continue to push hard for a return to negotiations on the basis agreed by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister and President Obama: borders based on 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps; security for Israel; and the right for Palestinians to govern themselves in a sovereign and contiguous state. We are working hard with our international partners for a return to negotiations on this basis.

Migrant Workers: Bulgarians and Romanians

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 14 July (WA 211), how many applications have been (a) made, (b) granted, and (c) turned down, by Bulgarians and Romanians for (1) accession to work cards, (2) work permits (sector based scheme), (3) registration cards, (4) seasonal employment and agricultural work permits, (5) exempt registration cards, (6) student work permits, (7) highly skilled migrant programme permits, and (8) self-employed work permits, since January 2007.

Baroness Browning: Information relating to the number of accession worker cards issued to Romanian and Bulgarian nationals since their accession to the European Union is published in the Bulgarian and Romanian accession statistics, which are published quarterly and are available in the Library of the House.

Migration Advisory Committee

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Browning on 6 July (WA 79), why they have no plans to alter the Migration Advisory Committee's purpose and remit to extend its membership beyond labour market economists, in the light of the recent request by the Home Secretary for it to assess the social impact of immigration and its pressure on schools, hospitals, council housing and other public services; and what is the committee's expertise in those matters.

Baroness Browning: The Migration Advisory Committee has experience of providing analysis of the public service and social impacts of immigration, and has discussed these matters in detail in last year's published report on limiting migration. Committee members also have individual expertise and professional experience in a wide range of migration and economic issues beyond just labour markets.
	In response to the Home Secretary's recent request, the committee is holding a series of workshops and one-to-one meetings to ensure it receives a broad range of input from other leading academic experts. It has also commissioned projects to external research teams which will consider the wider impacts of migration.

National Insurance

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government which bodies are empowered to issue national insurance numbers.

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance is given to bodies empowered to issue national insurance numbers on the procedures and checks to be followed before any issue is made.

Lord Freud: Guidance exists for both HMRC and Jobcentre Plus staff regarding the processes for issuing NINos and the necessary checks required.
	HMRC is responsible for mainly automated processes for issuing NINos to young people just prior to the age of 16. HMRC guidance regarding the issue of NINos to young people can be found in the National Insurance Manual (NIM), which is available on the HMRC website at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/nimmanual/index.htm.
	DWP Jobcentre Plus is responsible for the allocation of NINos to adults. This affects mainly adults entering the UK from abroad. An electronic copy of the Jobcentre Plus guidance to staff is in the House of Commons Library. Certain sections have been redacted as release of such information into the public domain could potentially jeopardise the effectiveness of DWP counterfraud measures.
	The same guidance is scheduled to be published on the DWP internet site during week commencing 8 August 2011: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/. Once published it is intended to be updated every six months.

National Insurance

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the increase in outstanding National Insurance numbers from 76.8 million in 2007 to 83.36 million currently is split between (a) United Kingdom citizens, (b) European Union citizens, and (c) others.

Lord Freud: An accurate breakdown including up-to-date figures could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	Figures for UK nationals are not available.
	The analysis of the 2007 NINo figures was derived from a snapshot in time and is therefore not comparable with the published NINo statistics.
	However the DWP statistics-national insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals, from which the table below is derived, (published at http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/niall/index.php?page =nino_allocation)-provide information on NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK by year of registration and world area:
	NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK, by Year of Registration and world area (in thousands)
	
		
			  2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 
			 All 705.84 733.09 686.11 572.74 
			 European Union 420.25 439.91 377.18 274.13 
			 Others 285.59 293.19 308.93 298.62 
		
	
	Definitions and conventions: Nil or negligible; figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and displayed in thousands. Some additional disclosure controls has been suppled. Totals may not sum due to rounding method used.NOTE: Registration date is derived from the date at which a NINo is maintained on the national insurance recording and pay as you earn system (NPS). Source: 100% extract from NPSNotes:World area of origin based on a client's nationality. The mapping of "world areas" is based on the present day. Bulgaria and Romanian are listed as EU accession states for entire back series. European Union includes accession states. Time series: year of registration date years are shown as financial year (1 April-31 March ). Only complete financial years are shown.

NHS: EU Regulations

Baroness Quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances, if any, services delivered by NHS organisations become subject to European Union competition law.

Earl Howe: Where providers of NHS services are offering goods and services on a market, they would be engaging in economic activity and as such would be considered undertakings for the purposes of European Union competition law. It is possible for an entity to be engaged in economic activity in relation to some of its functions but not others. However, there is legal uncertainty over whether National Health Service organisations would be acting as undertakings because there is no directly applicable case law.

Northern Ireland: Economy

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 18 July (WA 230), why Johnston Press Weekly Papers were not invited to the launch event of the consultation paper Relaunching the Northern Ireland Economy.

Baroness Verma: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by the noble Lord, Lord Shutt of Greetland, on 18 July 2011, Official Report, col. WA230.

Northern Ireland: Economy

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 19 July (WA 265), why the Northern Media Group radio stations based in rural Northern Ireland were not invited to the press launch of the consultation paper Relaunching the Northern Ireland Economy.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 19 July (WA 265), why was Citybeat Radio, based in Belfast, invited to the press launch of the consultation paper Relaunching the Northern Ireland Economy.

Baroness Verma: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by the noble Lord, Lord Shutt of Greetland, on 19 July 2011, Official Report, col. WA265.

Northern Ireland: Economy

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 19 July (WA 265), why questions relating to the press launch of HM Treasury's consultation paper Relaunching the Northern Ireland Economy are being answered by the Northern Ireland Office.

Lord De Mauley: The Northern Ireland Office was responsible for media arrangements for the launch of Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people applied for the position of Chief Commissioner and Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission respectively; how many were short-listed for interview; and whether all those recommended by the appointments panel were appointed by the Secretary of State.

Lord De Mauley: The Northern Ireland Office received nine completed applications for the position of Chief Commissioner, six of whom were invited for interview and 96 applications for the Commissioner posts, 27 of whom were invited for interview. These appointments are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) which requires that Ministers are provided with a choice of at least two appointable candidates for each vacancy. It is therefore inevitable that not all candidates recommended by the appointments panel will be appointed.

Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what staff positions in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission have been abolished in the last 18 months; how many individuals have been made redundant; what was the basis and the terms of redundancy for those that left; and whether any have been offered alternative employment.

Lord De Mauley: These are operational matters for the commission, which operates independently of government. The noble Lord may wish to write to the commission directly on these matters.

Northern Ireland: Recognition Payments

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 6 July (WA 82), what were the various payments made, or proposed to be made, to members and former members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Royal Irish Regiment under special schemes since the 1998 Belfast Agreement; and whether they will indicate (a) their respective status for tax and national insurance purposes, and (b) the reasons for the payments in relation to employment and redundancy.

Lord Sassoon: As a result of the normalisation of the political situation in Northern Ireland, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) disbanded the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, which took place between March 2007 and March 2008. Following claims by a number of former members of the Royal Irish Home Service Part-Time that they had been treated less favourably than their full-time counterparts in a number of respects on disbandment, the MoD settled the grievance out of court with no admission of liability. Payments were paid for different reasons and were consequently of a different taxable nature.
	As advised in previous responses, these payments were taxed in line with normal employment income tax rules but payments made on the termination of employment are subject to specific rules. A genuine ex gratia redundancy payment is not a reward for an employee's services-it is compensation for the premature loss of his or her job. Nevertheless, any excess of payments above £30,000 are treated as employment income by the law. Further detail is not publicly available on grounds of taxpayer confidentiality.

Palestine

Lord Turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 5 April (WA 362), in reviewing available independent studies about race hatred in Palestinian school text-books, what account they took of the recent report of the Institute for monitoring peace and cultural tolerance in school education (IMPACT-SE) in Jerusalem.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office met with IMPACT-SE in July 2011 to discuss its recent report, which is one of a number we have received on these issues. We are reviewing the report and will follow up on any points that we believe to be of concern.
	The Government's wider position as set out in the response dated 5 April 2011, Official Report, col. WA 362, is based on independent research, including that conducted by the US Congressional Research Service and the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information on behalf of the US Department of State.

Passports

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many passports belonging to people who have been allowed into the United Kingdom are retained by the UK Border Agency pending inquiry; where such passports are held; and for how long.

Baroness Browning: It is UK Border Agency policy to retain the travel documents of all passengers arriving in the UK who are granted temporary admission to the UK either following refusal of entry or pending enquiries.
	The specific information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Pensions

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 13 July (WA 190-91), on what evidence is the figure of 16 per cent of public sector employees not being members of their occupational pension schemes based; what were the particular reasons given for non-membership; and whether employees can currently opt out without taking up a private pension option if under state retirement age.

Lord Freud: The figure of 16 per cent of public sector employees not being members of their occupational pension schemes comes from the annual survey of hours and earnings (ASHE) for 2010.
	This is a sample survey of employers based on their PAYE and VAT registrations, and aims to represent all industries and occupations in Great Britain who have submitted such registrations. In 2010 there were 181,000 returns to the survey.
	ASHE does not collect information on reasons for non-membership.
	Employees can opt out without having to make alternative pension provision, although they would then be contracted in to the state second pension.

Pensions

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the sources in the Office for Budget Responsibility's July 2011 fiscal sustainability report for the net present value of public sector pension payments being £1,133 billion; what are the prospective pension payments liabilities in the 10 largest public sector pension schemes; and whether they are obliged to top up those schemes in the event of a shortfall.

Lord Sassoon: The sources in the Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) July 2011 fiscal sustainability report for the net present value of public sector pension payments being £1,133 billion were the unaudited Whole of Government Account (WGA) figures as at 31 March 2010 and were released on the same date as the OBR report.
	These figures are drawn from the audited 31 March 2010 pension liability figures provided by each reporting entity to HM Treasury, in order to produce the consolidated WGA. Individual entity figures, as at 31 March 2011, are not yet fully available as all accounts for the 2010-11 financial year have not yet been laid. The audited consolidated position for 2010-11 will be available in WGA during 2012.
	The prospective pension payments liabilities in the 10 largest (by net liability) individual public sector pension schemes are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Name of scheme Net liability as at 31March 2010£billion 
			 National Health Service (NHS) Pension Scheme 287.6 
			 Teachers' Pension Scheme (England & Wales) 223.9 
			 Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme 155.2 
			 Armed Forces Pension Scheme 120.7 
			 Police Pension Scheme 101.7 
			 Local Government Pension Scheme 100.4 
			 Scottish NHS Pension Scheme 29.2 
			 Scottish Teachers Pension Scheme 24.4 
			 Firefighters' Pension Scheme 19.4 
			 Health & Social Care Pension Scheme - Northern Ireland 13.0 
		
	
	Police and firefighters' pension amounts do not include liabilities that are accounted for by local authorities that are not specifically police or fire authorities. It is not possible separately to identify these liabilities but they are included in an amount of £21.7 billion which is included in the unaudited 2009-10 WGA as "Other unfunded Schemes".
	In the unfunded central public service schemes, where notional assets fall short of the liabilities in respect of past service, the shortfall is addressed by an adjustment to the contribution rate. Typically, scheme regulations state that a deficit should be eliminated by means of an additional contribution, spread over a period of 15 years.
	In the funded local government pension scheme, decisions on the funding strategy are taken at a local level. Typically, where deficits exist, additional contributions, spread over an average period of around 20 years, are paid to ensure the fund returns to balance.

Planning

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to replace the advice to local planning authorities in Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks; how this will be done; and what other guidance to local planning authorities will remain in place in relation to local development frameworks.

Baroness Hanham: We are in the process of reviewing and consolidating all planning policy statements, planning policy guidance notes and some circulars. We will publish a draft National Planning Policy Framework for public consultation shortly. This includes policy issues covered in Planning Policy Statement 12.
	Existing government guidance on the preparation of local plans is contained in the online Plan Making Manual, which is hosted by Local Government Improvement and Development's Planning Advisory Service.

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persons charged with being in breach of a restraining order under Section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 were (a) prosecuted, and (b) not prosecuted in (1) 2009-10, and (2) 2010-11.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of offences charged under Section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in which a prosecution commenced rather than the number of defendants prosecuted. During the past two years the number of these offences was as follows:
	1) 2009-10 2,944
	2) 2010-11 5,922
	CPS records do not identify the number of defendants prosecuted, or not prosecuted, for specific offences. This information may be retrieved only by locating and examining every relevant file in each CPS office in England and Wales which would incur a disproportionate cost.

Public Records: Colonial Documents

Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action is being taken to recover the remaining 13 boxes of top secret files in relation to the Kenyan Mau Mau rebellion to complete the release of all known documents held on the subject.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has confirmed that it has been unable to locate or to confirm what happened to 13 boxes of top secret files sent to the UK from the former colonial administration in Kenya prior to independence. In connection with an ongoing legal case, the FCO carried out a wide-ranging search for these files earlier this year. This search covered FCO buildings in the UK as well as other government departments and agencies to which the files could have been transferred.
	On 30 June 2011, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary set out in a Written Ministerial Statement the terms of reference for the independent reviewer, who will oversee the transfer of the migrated archive files from the FCO to the National Archives (Official Report, House of Commons, col. 66WS). These terms of reference include independent scrutiny of the steps the FCO has taken to locate or confirm destruction of the missing top secret Kenya files.

Public Records: Colonial Documents

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use to determine whether documents relating to individuals involved in independence movements in the United Kingdom's former colonies are released to the National Archives.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Section 2 of the Lord Chancellor's code of practice on the management of records issued under Section 46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 sets out the criteria for release of information to the National Archives. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office takes decisions on which documents should be disclosed on that basis.
	The code of practice can be found at http://www. justice.gov.uk/guidance/docs/foi-section-46-code-of-practice.pdf.

Republic of Ireland

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are any purposes for which the Republic of Ireland is not considered to be a foreign country.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Republic of Ireland is a sovereign and independent state and is recognised as such under international law. However there are instances in UK law where Ireland is deemed not a "foreign country"-for example, in Section 2 of the Ireland Act 1949, enacted when the Republic of Ireland withdrew from the Commonwealth, and the British Nationality Act 1981, which defines the term "foreign country" as excluding the Republic of Ireland.

Rifat Assad

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the presence of Rifat Assad in the United Kingdom in the light of his role in the 1982 massacre at Hama.

Baroness Browning: The Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.
	However, the Government are committed to ensuring the UK does not become a refuge for suspected perpetrators of international crimes. Where there is sufficient evidence, it is possible to take immigration action on the grounds of an individual's character, conduct or associations. This includes those suspected of involvement in international crimes or who represent a threat to national security.

School Standards and Framework Act 1998

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House counsel's advice to the Equality and Human Rights Commission on the compatibility of Section 60 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 with European Union law.

Baroness Browning: A copy of counsel's advice to the Equality and Human Rights Commission has been placed in the Library of the House.

Sexual Offences Act 2003

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions and how many convictions by year there have been since the passage of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 under (a) Section 52, causing or inciting prostitution for gain, (b) Section 53, controlling prostitution for gain, (c) Section 57, trafficking into the United Kingdom for sexual exploitation, (d) Section 58, trafficking within the United Kingdom for sexual exploitation, and (e) Section 59, trafficking out of the United Kingdom for sexual exploitation; and how many of those resulted in (1) a prison sentence, and (2) a suspended prison sentence.

Baroness Browning: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts, by result, for selected offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, England and Wales, 2004 to 2010 are in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts, by result, for selected offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003(1), England and Wales, 2004 to 2010(2)(3)(4)(5) 
			  2004 2005 2006 2007 
			 Offence description Proceeded against Found guilty Suspended sentence Immediate custody Proceeded against Found guilty Suspended sentence Immediate custody Proceeded against Found guilty Suspended sentence Immediate custody Proceeded against Found guilty Suspended sentence Immediate custody 
			 S.52 - causing or inciting prostitution for gain - 1 - 2 - 1 - 1 2 2 - 2 1 1 1 - 
			 S.53 - controlling prostitution for gain 1 - - - 12 3 - 3 18 11 - 10 23 24 3 17 
			 S.57 - trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation 5 - - - 10 9 - 9 19 6 - 6 7 9 - 9 
			 S.58 - trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation - - - - 16 3 - 3 21 9 - 9 18 5 - 4 
			 S.59 - trafficking out of the UK for sexual exploitation - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 
		
	
	
		
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Offence description Proceeded against Found guilty Suspended sentence Immediate custody Proceeded against Found guilty Suspended sentence Immediate custody Proceeded against Found guilty Suspended sentence Immediate custody 
			 S.52 - causing or inciting prostitution for gain 1 6 - 6 7 6 - 6 7 2 - 3 
			 S.53 - controlling prostitution for gain 24 31 4 25 23 22 3 17 15 17 3 12 
			 S.57 - trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation 20 11 1 10 20 15 1 14 8 3 - 3 
			 S.58 - trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation 33 13 - 13 113 8 1 7 16 7 - 7 
			 SS.59 - trafficking out of the UK for sexual exploitation - - - - - - - - - - -  
		
	
	(1) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1st May 2004.
	(2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	(4) The number of defendants found guilty in a particular year may exceed the number proceeded against as the proceedings in the magistrates' court took place in an earlier year and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown Court in the following year; or the defendants were found guilty of a different offence to that for which they were originally proceeded against.
	(5) The sentenced column may exceed those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty, and committed for sentence at the Crown court, may be sentenced in the following year.
	(6) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008.
	Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.
	[Ref: IOS 407-11]

Social Care: Funding

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what resources could be made available to improve the funding of adult social care by requiring those over the age for payment of the state pension who are in employment to pay national insurance contributions.

Lord Sassoon: We estimate that around £500 million would be raised in 2011-12 if individuals over state pension age who are in employment were required to pay national insurance contributions.
	This estimate is based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. It also includes an estimated behavioural adjustment to reflect changes in labour supply for this age group.

Social Fund

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government who were the 68 individuals and organisations who responded to the Department for Work and Pensions Green Paper on Social Fund reform published in March 2010, and whether they will publish a summary of those responses.

Lord Freud: Including late submissions, a total of 72 responses were received to the Department for Work and Pensions consultation paper Social Fund Reform: Debt, Credit and Low-income Households (Cm 7750), which was published in March 2010.
	Details of the respondents to the consultation are set out in table 1 and a summary of responses to the proposals are in table 2.
	Table 1: consultation respondents
	1. A4E
	2. Association of British Credit Unions
	3. Access to Benefits (Northern Ireland)
	4. Advice Centres for Avon
	5. Advice NI
	6. Advice Services Coventry
	7. Age UK
	8. Alzheimer's Scotland
	9. Barnardo's
	10. Rt Hon David Blunkett MP
	11. BM and C Howard Funeral Services
	12. Brighton and Hove Multi Agency
	13. British Bankers Association
	14. Broadway Homelessness Support
	15. Trevor Buck
	16. Calderdale CAB
	17. Christians Against Poverty
	18. Citizen's Advice
	19. Connection Floating Support Team
	20. Consumer Focus
	21. Child Poverty Action Group
	22. Credit Action
	23. Crisis
	24. Committee for Social Development, Northern Ireland Assembly
	25. Durham County Council
	26. Essex County Council Evansabove
	27. Teresa Evans
	28. Family Action
	29. Furniture Reuse Network
	30. Gingerbread
	31. Gary Greaves
	32. Hertfordshire County Council
	33. HLG
	34. Home Group
	35. Homeless Link
	36. Brian Howard
	37. Federation of Irish Societies
	38. Financial Inclusion Taskforce
	39. Lancashire County Council
	40. Law Centre NI/Housing Rights Service
	41. Local Government Association
	42. Money Advice Trust
	43. National Association of Funeral Directors
	44. National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers
	45. Northern Irish Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders
	46. National Offender Management Service
	47. National Union of Students
	48. Peabody Trust
	49. Personal Finance Research Centre, University of Bristol
	50. Plymouth City Council
	51. Public & Commercial Services Union
	52. Reading Refugee Support Group
	53. Refugee Action
	54. Richmond Aid
	55. RL Glasspool Charity Trust
	56. Saskia Szokolovics
	57. Save the Children UK
	58. SAY Women
	59. Scope
	60. Social Fund Commissioner
	61. Solihull Churches Action on Homelessness
	62. South East Homeless Forum
	63. South Lanarkshire Council
	64. Social Security Advisory Committee
	65. Stockport Advice
	66. Stonham Floating Support
	67. Swansea Council
	68. Toynbee Hall
	69. Trades Union Council
	70. Wavertree CAB
	71. Wonga
	72. Yorkshire Housing
	
		
			 Table 2: summary of consultation questions and responses 
			 Proposal Description Summary of Stakeholder Responses 
			 Proposals for early change: "a simpler loans structure with transparency around eligibility criteria and much more targeted discretion". The Green Paper suggested this could be achieved through:   •Easier, lighter-touch access to budgeting loans (BL);   •BLs from day one for most customers;   •Signposting to the Money Guidance service;   •A lower maximum award amount in the first six months of benefit (than currently awarded for budgeting loans (BLs));   A requirement for an interview on second application for a crisis loan (CL). •Support for easier access to BLs and eligibility from day one, but at same rate in first 6 months.   • Support for signposting to services enhancing financial inclusion and opportunities for increased support but not for it to be conditional, and delivered at appropriate time, dependent on individual's circumstances. 
			 Longer-term proposals: "changes which will reduce complexity and increase the levels of support available to address customers' longer-term needs". The Green Paper was fairly open on how this might be achieved, but made a number of suggestions:   •a single point of entry to the loans scheme (rather than the present three);   •a full financial health check at a suitable stage;   •requiring those who need frequent help to draw up plans with advisers;   •active engagement with support services as a requirement for receiving a loan.   The Green Paper also asked which organisations would be best placed to provide greater support. •Support for single application gateway, with calls to include CCG applications in process.   •Support for financial health checks and further engagement, on personalised basis and not conditional to award.   • Responses identified Third Sector organisations as best to carry out interventions, CAB most referenced. 
			 "a reformed grants system should ensure that payments go to those who are experiencing the most exceptional need". The Green Paper proposed that the grants scheme could be better focused by:   •targeting the discretionary grant scheme on those facing exceptional need with a greater element of support;   •provision of goods and services instead of cash for grants; and   •a new standardised resettlement grant, potentially delivered through a regulated scheme, but with separate arrangements for those leaving prison. •General backing for provision of goods and services instead of cash for grants in principle, with concerns around reduction of choice, fear of stigmatisation, contradictory to wider message of developing financial independence.   •Wide support for regulated resettlement grants: call for extending eligibility beyond groups currently eligible for CCGs, including those leaving prison. 
			 "we are considering whether to extend help with funeral costs to... students who do not qualify for welfare benefits" The Green Paper asked whether students not in receipt of benefits should be eligible for a funeral payment where they meet all the other qualifying conditions and how they should be identified. •General support for widening to students in full-time higher education   •Queries over why extension of eligibility limited to students only - why not those on contributions-based benefits, young people on lower rates of benefits 
			 "Community Care Grants... may lend themselves more easily [than loans] to be delivered by an alternative provider to Jobcentre Plus" The Green Paper asked whether the power to make Community Care Grants and a per capita proportion of the CCG budget should be devolved to the Scottish Government and what the benefits would be. Limited response to this issue. Majority responded negatively to proposals. Two responses from Scottish organisations: one advised caution, one supportive.

South Wales Police

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to refer to the Independent Police Complaints Commission an allegation of political interference in the work of police community support officers in the Cardiff East division of the South Wales constabulary.

Baroness Browning: The Government have no role in referring allegations to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The work of police community support officers is an operational matter for South Wales Police. Any individual wishing to make a complaint may do so either directly to the force in question, the relevant police authority or to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Sport

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the remit of Skills Active under the terms of its licence; and what responsibility it has to ensure there is adequate consultation with industry stakeholders in the development of sport-specific training qualifications.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what obligations Skills Active has under the terms of its licence to consider and work alongside industry stakeholders when there is evidence of misconduct by a national governing body for sport, or complaints that a governing body has a commercial conflict of interest.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what safeguards they will put in place to ensure that the two major stakeholders in swimming teacher training have appropriate weight given to their considerations and views concerning the future of the swimming training qualifications market.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government when Sport England last consulted local authorities about (a) their satisfaction with the Amateur Swimming Association as the national governing body for swimming, and (b) their views on its operations and conduct in representing the best interests of the sport.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Minister for Sport last met the Chief Executive of Sport England and Skills Active to discuss the conduct of the Amateur Swimming Association, and any potential conflict of interest as both the national governing body for swimming and a commercial training provider.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government when Sport England will review the impact on supplier competition of the funding conditions the Amateur Swimming Association has placed on local authorities when supervising the distribution of government funding and grants.

Lord De Mauley: Sport England recognises that national governing bodies (NGBs) are the experts in their sports and that they must take responsibility for growing participation in their sport. Therefore, NGBs like the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) are free to invest Sport England funding in activities or organisations they believe can help them meet their outcomes; this includes investing in local authority sports activity.
	If an NGB is not meeting its contracted outcomes as set out in its whole sport plan funding agreement and not making any attempt to redress performance in a way which is deemed satisfactory, then investment will be decommitted. Sport England will also suspend or decommit funding if an NGB is judged to fall short of certain governance regulations or is not fit to receive public funding.
	NGBs are formally reviewed on a six-monthly basis by Sport England against the terms and conditions of the contracts for which they receive investment. This takes into account only the activities they undertake to deliver on the outcomes set within the contracts. Sport England has not specifically consulted local authorities to outline their levels of satisfaction with the ASA or views on its operations and conduct.
	The Minister for Sport and the Olympics has had no recent discussions about the conduct of the ASA.
	Where there are issues relating to NGBs performance or behaviour outside of governance or contracted outcomes, Sport England is not obliged to interfere.
	With regard to using public funds to run anti-competitive activity, the Community Swimming Limited (CSL) is the self-sustaining private company that has been set up with support from the ASA to deliver swimming in venues that would not normally be available for community use. The company is controlled by a board of independent trustees where the ASA has a limited minority right of representation. As CSL does not use funding from Sport England, Sport England has no jurisdiction over the way in which it operates and it is up to the discretion of leisure operators who they appoint to deliver classes.
	In terms of the issues the Swimming Teachers Association has with the ASA regarding recognition of swimming teaching as a separate qualification from coaching swimming, a meeting is due to take place in September 2011. The purpose of this is for the ASA and the STA, together with Skills Active and Sports Coach UK, to discuss the concerns of both parties and agree a way forward. The Minister for Sport and the Olympics will be kept informed of progress.
	Finally, Skills Active is the sector skills council for active leisure, learning and well-being licensed by the Government and driven by the needs of employers. A key aspect of its work is to develop a framework of occupational standards which meet the needs of employers and underpin job roles in the sector. Skills Active does have the power to intervene in disagreements between bodies regarding qualifications and training but its role is to represent the employer view on what they need for their staff.

Sport: Swimming

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the operations of the Amateur Swimming Association in its capacity as the national governing body for swimming.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what safeguards Sport England has put in place to ensure that the Amateur Swimming Association does not use its position as the national governing body for swimming to further its commercial training arm.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance Sport England has issued to the Amateur Swimming Association regarding any conflict of interest between its role as the national governing body of swimming and its commercial operations, in particular in the swimming training market.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Sport England receives audited accounts from the Amateur Swimming Association; and whether they will review its funding allocations and the conditions which it has attached to local authorities when allocating government funding.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance Sport England has given to the Amateur Swimming Association about the conditions which may be attached to grants and funding allocations to local authorities.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the terms of the funding contract between Sport England and the Amateur Swimming Association.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government when Sport England last reviewed the operations of the Amateur Swimming Association to assess whether it is fit for purpose and serving the best interests of swimming and the public.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Sport England will conduct a review into the conduct and communications of the Amateur Swimming Association in the light of complaints of anti-competitive conduct; and, if so, when.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of restricting the Amateur Swimming Association's remit to swimming coaching only, thereby removing its commercial functions.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government to whom complaints against a national governing body for sport should be directed if there is evidence to suggest misconduct or anti-competitive behaviour.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the constitutional remit of Sport England; and what power it has to direct and supervise the conduct of national governing bodies for sport.

Lord De Mauley: Sport England is not a regulator of sport or a national governing body of sport. It is an arm's-length body, with responsibility for delivering a lasting increase in sports participation.
	Sport England principally invests in 46 national governing bodies of sport (NGBs) to deliver this aim, through whole sport plans. Investments are made on the basis of delivering outcomes for sports participation, and it is Sport England's responsibility to assess progress against these outcomes.
	Details of the 46 NGB whole sport plans can be found on the Sport England website http://www. sportengland.org/funding/ngb_investment/ngb_whole _sport_plans.aspx
	Sport England recognises that NGBs are the experts in their sports and that they must take responsibility for growing participation in their sport. Therefore, NGBs are free to invest Sport England funding in activities or organisations they believe can help them meet their outcomes; this includes investing in local authority sports activity.
	If an NGB is not meeting its contracted outcomes, as set out in its whole sport plan funding agreement, and not making any attempt to redress performance in a way which is deemed satisfactory, then investment will be de-committed. Sport England will also suspend or de-commit funding if an NGB is judged to fall short of certain governance regulations or is not fit to receive public funding.
	NGBs are formally reviewed on a six-monthly basis by Sport England against the terms and conditions of the contracts for which they receive investment. This only takes into account the activities they undertake to deliver on the outcomes set within the contracts.
	Where there are issues relating to NGBs' performance or behaviour outside of governance or contracted outcomes, Sport England is not obliged to interfere.
	With regard to using public funds to run anti-competitive activity, the Amateur Swimming Association's (ASA's) Community Swimming Limited (CSL) is the self-financed arm of the ASA which runs swimming classes for private operators, including LA Fitness. As CSL does not use funding from Sport England, Sport England has no jurisdiction over the way in which it operates and it is up to the discretion of LA Fitness as to whom they appoint to deliver classes.
	In terms of the issues the Swimming Teachers Association (STA) has with the ASA regarding recognition of swimming teaching as a separate qualification from coaching swimming, a meeting is due to take place in September 2011, the purpose of which is for the ASA and the STA, together with SkillsActive and sports coach UK, to discuss the concerns of both parties and agree a way forward. The Minister for Sport and the Olympics will be kept informed of progress.

Sudan

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the countries of North and South Sudan reach an equitable and transparent agreement on Sudan's oil wealth.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We strongly support the efforts of Thabo Mbeki and the African Union High Level Panel in its efforts to resolve all outstanding issues from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between Sudan and South Sudan. We continue to urge the Governments of both countries to make the compromises necessary in the interests of the peoples and economies of both countries.

Sudan

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to support the Government of South Sudan to manage their oil wealth in a transparent and accountable way, which meets the needs of the people of South Sudan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We have consistently made clear to the Government of South Sudan the importance of transparency and accountability in all their activities. Proper use of South Sudan's oil wealth is vital to allow economic diversification and the long-term prosperity of the country.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the aerial bombardment by the armed forces of the Republic of the Sudan in the Nuba Mountains.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are gravely concerned by reports of aerial bombardments by Sudan armed forces in Southern Kordofan and the casualties that they have caused. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr Bellingham) will be raising this subject with the Government of Sudan in meetings in Khartoum this week. We call on both sides to put in place an immediate ceasefire and to allow humanitarian access to those affected by the ongoing fighting.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will refer the bomb attack on the hospital north of Kauda Valley in Southern Kordofan to the International Criminal Court for investigation.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are deeply concerned by reports of this attack on the hospital north of Kauda Valley and other attacks. We continue to urge for a ceasefire, and for access so that these claims can be fully investigated. We will, if necessary, consider action to refer the situation in Southern Kordofan to the International Criminal Court.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place the situation in Southern Kordofan before the United Nations Security Council, and call for a discussion of the implications of the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping force from the Republic of the Sudan's border areas by the end of next month.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The United Nations Security Council discussed the situation in Southern Kordofan, including the implications of the withdrawal of the United Nations Missions in Sudan, on 15 July. It issued a statement (http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp? NewsID=39059&Cr=kordofan&Cr1=) underlining its grave concern and calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. We are disappointed that the Government of Sudan rejected the UN Security Council's request to maintain peacekeepers in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the air bombings in Darfur and Southern Kordofan; and whether they intend to ask the United Nations Security Council for the creation of a no-fly zone.

Lord Howell of Guildford: While we do not hold an assessment of the number of incidents, we remain deeply concerned by reports of aerial bombing in Darfur and Southern Kordofan. A no-fly zone in Darfur and Southern Kordofan would be a major logistical challenge due to the size of Darfur and Southern Kordofan. In Darfur, the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is mandated to monitor military activity, including flights prohibited by UN Security Council Resolution 1591. We urge all parties to the conflicts in both Darfur and Southern Kordofan to agree terms for ceasefires and negotiations for lasting peace.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of bombing raids on Darfur by the Government of Sudan during 2010, and to the end of April 2011.

Lord Howell of Guildford: While we do not hold an assessment of the number of incidents, we remain deeply concerned by reports of aerial bombing in Darfur. We call on the Government of Sudan to live up to their obligations to protect civilians and call on all parties to work towards a ceasefire across Darfur.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have sought a discussion in the United Nations Security Council about infringements of Resolution 1591 (2005), prohibiting bombing raids on Darfur, and about reports that chemicals released as result of the bombing raids have made the soil unsafe to grow crops.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The UN Security Council last discussed Darfur on 22 July. The situation in Darfur is discussed every 90 days, based around the Secretary-General's report on the implementation of the resolution on Darfur. The UK continues to condemn military action in Darfur and to call on all parties to work for an immediate ceasefire. We are not aware of reports of chemicals released as a result of the bombing raids affecting crop growth.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the African Union and United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur to obtain unrestricted access to all areas of Darfur in which civilians are in need of protection.

Lord Howell of Guildford: As set out in African Union-United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur's (UNAMID) mandate, the UN and African Union have an essential role to play in the protection of civilians and the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and humanitarian activities. We continue to urge the Government of Sudan and all other armed movements to grant UNAMID, and humanitarian agencies, full and unhindered access throughout Darfur and to all those affected by conflict.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to United Nations agencies to publish on a regular basis comprehensive data on the humanitarian and human rights situation in Darfur.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The UN Secretary-General reports on the African Union-United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur every 90 days. These reports include assessments of the humanitarian and human rights situation in Darfur and are available at http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unamid/reports.shtml.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) report on The Human Rights Situation During The Recent Violence in Southern Kordofan Sudan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The report to which the noble Lord refers is very worrying: the allegations of mass graves, the targeting of civilians and the continuing lack of humanitarian access only add to our great concern over Southern Kordofan. We immediately discussed the report with the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) officials and with other partners, including the US. We have also repeatedly called on the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army to bring an end to the violence. We continue to work closely with the UN Resident Co-ordinator in Khartoum to seek urgent access for humanitarian agencies in order that human rights abuses can be fully investigated. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my honourable friend Mr Bellingham, has already urged the UN Security Council to further investigate the contents of the report and present his findings to the Security Council.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to press for a referral to the International Criminal Court of events in Southern Kordofan in the light of the findings in the report by the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) on The Human Rights Situation During The Recent Violence in Southern Kordofan Sudan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The contents of the report to which the noble Lord refers are deeply concerning. While in New York on 13 July, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my honourable friend Mr Bellingham, urged the UN Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping to further investigate the very concerning United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) report on human rights abuses in Southern Kordofan, and report more fully to the Security Council. We will, if necessary, consider action to refer the situation in Southern Kordofan to the International Criminal Court.

Sudan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they propose to put to the United Nations Security Council to protect civilians in South Kordofan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Now that the UN Mission in Sudan's mandate has expired, it is all the more urgent to find a mechanism for protecting civilians in Southern Kordofan. The most critical immediate steps are the agreement of a ceasefire and for humanitarian access to be allowed to the areas most affected by the current violence. We continue to urgently push both, working closely with the UN Resident Co-ordinator in Khartoum and other international partners, including through the Security Council.

Taxation: Corporation Tax

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimated yield of corporation tax for the financial years (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, and (c) 2012-13.

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the yield of corporation tax for the financial years (a) 2008-09, and (b) 2009-10.

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was, or is, the estimated yield of corporation tax for (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland, for (1) 2008-09, (2) 2009-10, (3) 2010-11, (4) 2011-12, and (5) 2012-13.

Lord Sassoon: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) produces a corporation tax forecast for the UK, shown in table 4.7 of its economic and fiscal outlook. The March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook is available here: http://budgetresponsibilty.independent.gov.uk/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2011/.
	Historical figures for corporation tax receipts, up to and including 2010-11, are regularly updated and published in table 11.1 on the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) National Statistics website. The latest update is available here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate _tax/table11_1.pdf.
	HMRC does not publish estimates of corporation tax by region and the OBR does not forecast corporation tax split by region.

Taxation: Corporation Tax

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will be taking, together with other G20 nations, to ensure that multinational companies do not avoid paying corporate taxes that are due to the developing nations in which they operate.

Lord Sassoon: The UK is working with G20 partners on a range of issues related to tax evasion and avoidance in developing countries, as set out in the G20's Multi Year Action Plan on Development, agreed at the G20 summit in Seoul in November 2010. The results of this work will be reported to the G20 summit in November 2011.

Taxation: Corporation Tax

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what conditions will be required to be applied by European Union state aid rules in the event of a decision to devolve the responsibility for determining the rate of corporation tax in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Lord Sassoon: Devolving any tax rate varying power must satisfy the European Court of Justice decision on the "Azores Case". This set out the criteria which would need to be met for regional differences in direct taxation not to involve state aid and to be compliant with EU law. These conditions are:
	the decision to introduce the regional difference in direct taxation must have been taken by a region which has a political and administrative status separate from that of the central government (institutional autonomy);the decision must have been adopted without the central government being able directly to intervene as regards its content (procedural autonomy); andthe full fiscal consequences of a reduction of the national tax rate for undertakings in the region must not be offset by aid or subsidies from other regions or central government (fiscal autonomy).

Taxation: Corporation Tax

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the event of devolution to the Northern Ireland Assembly of the responsibility for setting the rate of corporation tax in Northern Ireland, it will be possible to establish different thresholds for the application of various rates of corporation tax.

Lord Sassoon: The Treasury's consultation paper Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy sets out both UK-wide and devolved policies for rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy, an objective which both the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive share. It also considers possible mechanisms for devolving corporation tax rate varying powers to Northern Ireland and includes a description of the costs and benefits of doing so.
	No decisions have been taken on whether to devolve corporation tax to Northern Ireland or on the precise scope of corporation tax devolution. Greater degrees of devolution would be likely to increase administrative burdens for business.

Turkey

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 28 June (WA 417), what assessment they have made of whether Turkey is fulfilling its Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe commitments on media freedom.

Lord Howell of Guildford: It is for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to determine whether Turkey is meeting its OSCE commitments on media freedom. We have closely followed the recent statements regarding Turkey by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, and continue to monitor the situation. We expect Turkey to fulfil its OSCE commitments, including those on freedom of the media.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many responses they have received to the publication on the new draft constitution for the Turks and Caicos Islands; and how many of these responses support the new constitution.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Twenty-one e-mails were sent to the constitutional inbox. All commented in detail on aspects of the draft constitution that were of interest to them. None of these responses indicated either support or opposition to the draft constitution.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their planned timetable for introducing a new constitution in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Order in Council containing the new draft constitution was made by the Privy Council on 13 July 2011 and was laid before Parliament on 20 July 2011.
	The new constitution will be brought into force when sufficient progress has been made against the milestones identified in my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Henry Bellingham's Written Ministerial Statement of 9 December 2010, Official Report, WS56. This will enable the elections to take place.
	The new constitution must be in force no later than 30 days before the elections can take place.

UK Financial Investments Ltd

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding the financial institutions in which UK Financial Investments Ltd has an interest have made available to start-up companies in the past year.

Lord Sassoon: The Government's shareholdings in the banks are managed on a commercial and arm's-length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI), a company which is wholly owned by the Government.
	UKFI's role is to manage the investments, not to manage the banks. The banks retain their own independent boards and management teams to manage the banks commercially, without interference from shareholders. Operational management decisions are for the banks themselves without interference from shareholders (including UKFI). We do not have any data on the amount of lending made available to start-up companies.
	On 9 February 2011, the Chancellor announced a new commitment by the UK's biggest high-street banks on lending expectations and capacity. Seventy-six billion pounds of this lending capacity will be available to small and medium-sized enterprises. This is a 15 per cent increase on 2010 lending of £66 billion.

Universal Credit

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 28 March (WA 231-3), whether a decision has yet been taken on the frequency with which universal credit will be paid; and whether a decision has been taken on the appropriate budgeting support for people on low incomes who may have difficulties managing their financial affairs should universal credit be paid monthly.

Lord Freud: We are considering the period of the assessment and the frequency of payments. There will be some households which need more help to budget and for whom exceptional rules may need to be followed, and we are carefully considering arrangements for those.

Universities: Funding

Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to ensure that university students from England and Wales who study in Scottish universities are not financially disadvantaged compared with other students from the European Union; and whether there are legal reasons why they should not be treated in the same way as European Union students from outside the United Kingdom.

Lord Henley: The tuition fees charged by Scottish universities are a matter for the Scottish Government, as are the arrangements that apply in Scotland to students from other parts of the UK. Eligible English students studying at Scottish universities will continue to have access to loans from Student Finance England to cover their tuition costs in full.
	It is for the Welsh Assembly Government to decide how they wish to fund Welsh-domiciled students.

Visas

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Browning on 11 July (WA 123-24), how many applicants for naturalisation last year quoted time spent in the United Kingdom on a student visa for all or part of the qualifying period for naturalisation as a British citizen; and whether time spent in the United Kingdom for educational purposes merits award of citizenship.

Baroness Browning: The information requested could only be obtained by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
	The residence requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen are in Schedule 1 to the British Nationality Act 1981. These provide that a person should have been in the United Kingdom for a qualifying period of three or five years, with a limit on the number of days that should have been spent outside the UK. That schedule provides that residence in the United Kingdom should have been legal, but does not specify that a person should have been here in a particular capacity.
	There are no plans to amend the requirements for naturalisation at the current time.

Visas

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 13 July (WA 188-89), what is the average salary quoted in applications last year for tier 2 intra-company transfer visas; what are the average national insurance contributions by employees and employers forgone if no such contributions are paid for 12 months; how many such visas were issued last year; and whether those employees are subject to payment of income tax to HM Revenue and Customs.

Lord Sassoon: I refer the noble Lord to the Answers I gave him on 16 November 2010 (col. WA 196), 2 December 2010 (col. WA 484) and 13 July 2011 (col. WA 189), which explain why non-European economic area workers are allowed a 52-week exclusion from national insurance contributions (NICs).
	The average salary quoted on used certificates of sponsorship for tier 2 intra-company transfer "Out of Country" visa applications is around £48,000 per year (£58,000 including allowances) for 2010. Around 30,000 intra-company transfer visas were issued in 2010. The number of visas will not match the number of applications as some applications will have been refused or withdrawn. Further statistics on the number of tier 2 visas can be found in the Home Office's control of immigration statistical releases available online at http://www. homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/.
	Information on the amount of NICs forgone due to this exemption is not available. The amount of NICs forgone will depend on the length of transfer and, importantly, their country of origin because many workers will be exempt under the terms of various reciprocal social security agreements. It would add unnecessarily to the burdens on businesses and be inconsistent with the current approach to other exemptions and disregards that apply to NICs, to require employers to send information to HM Revenue and Customs about this exemption.
	Whether employees covered by the exemption for NICs are liable to pay income tax will depend on their personal circumstances and the effects of any relevant double taxation treaty.

Visas

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government under what circumstances an artist who is not a citizen of a European Union member state can come to the United Kingdom and work on a self-generated project such as painting pictures or taking photographs without being attached to an official event, an arts organisation in the United Kingdom, or having United Kingdom sponsorship.

Baroness Browning: There are no specific arrangements within the Immigration Rules for artists to work in the UK without requiring a sponsor. Where their activities are solely recreational, they are able to do so under the route for visitors.

Young People: Enterprise

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to encourage enterprise among young people including through financial and communication incentives.

Lord De Mauley: Evidence from the UK and abroad, particularly Norway, shows that very young children have a natural enthusiasm and confidence about future career options, including working for themselves. However, by the time children leave primary education, many, with the exception of those whose parents work for themselves, have lost confidence in their enterprise potential.
	Evidence also shows that the best way of retaining confidence in this area is by providing hands-on experience of enterprise, and that is why on 28 March 2011 the Government launched their strategy to ensure that every school can build and develop a business to engage children, that every school can access local enterprise champions and that students in further education and in university can access a student enterprise society.
	By the end of 2011, schools will therefore be given access to online tools and best practice to help them run a school business. School teachers will also be able to connect with a network of volunteer local enterprise champions and use this network to bring real-life enterprise role-models to schoolchildren.
	By the end of 2011, the Government will also provide help to develop, expand and sustain student enterprise societies in universities to support students with ambitions and skills for enterprise. Enterprise societies will be run as businesses, engaging with entrepreneurs and delivering the knowledge, networks and skills that students need to start and manage a business. Work will also be undertaken to adapt the enterprise society model to fit the requirements of further education institutions and to build their capability to support enterprise societies.
	This will have a lasting impact on pupils' and students' horizons for adult life.
	We are working to deliver these goals with key stakeholders, including the Education and Employers Taskforce, the National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs, the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship and the Association of Colleges, to have the programmes running by the end of this year.

Young People: Politics

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they are doing to encourage more young people to vote in elections.

Lord De Mauley: The Government encourage all eligible individuals to engage with the democratic process and to vote. This is especially important among young people, who are traditionally under-represented in figures on registration and turnout. The Government, politicians, political parties, electoral administrators and wider groups with an interest in the democratic process all have a role to play in encouraging participation.
	In particular, the Government have responsibility for the statutory framework for electoral registration in the UK. Sixteen and seventeen year-olds can already apply to register as "attainers" to ensure they are able to vote as soon as they turn 18. In the context of the move to individual electoral registration, we are considering how to make it as easy and secure as possible for citizens to register to vote and we are exploring how online services might support this. Further research will also be conducted to identify the groups that are currently under-registered including young people.
	The research findings will be used to inform our approach to improving registration levels among these groups and will also inform wider work to promote public awareness of registration and participation of young people in the voting process.

Anguilla

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Deputy Governor of Anguilla has recommended moving the portfolios of the permanent secretaries of Anguilla into financial and economic roles; and what formal qualifications they have for such roles.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Responsibility for ensuring that the Anguilla Public Service is appropriately staffed and run has been delegated by the Governor to the Deputy Governor, who is the most senior member of the Public Service. The UK Government have no direct responsibility for making Anguillan Public Service appointments.
	The transfer of portfolios among permanent secretaries is good practice and helps to ensure that they remain independent and are able to offer non-partisan advice. In the current case, I understand that the Chief Minister, the Executive Council and the Anguilla Public Service Commission were consulted about the proposed changes. Appointment decisions take into account individuals' skills and experience and the wider need to develop as leaders and strategic thinkers.

Animals: Scientific Procedures

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to implement a ban on the use of animals in the testing of household products.

Baroness Browning: I made a Written Ministerial Statement on 18 July 2011 (Official Report, cols. WS 101-02), explaining how the ban will be implemented and that consultation is to be carried out on a number of related issues. Further details of implementation will be made available when that consultation has been completed.

Animals: Scientific Procedures

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their strategy to reduce the number of animals used in experiments.

Baroness Browning: I made a Written Ministerial Statement on the 18 July 2011 (Official Report, cols. WS 101-102), explaining how we propose to deliver our commitment to work to reduce the use of animals in scientific research.
	The commitment will be delivered through a science-led programme led by the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), an organisation with a strong record in reducing animal use. The NC3Rs will closely involve government departments and agencies, the Home Office inspectorate, the research community in both academia and industry, and others with relevant animal welfare interests.

Armed Forces: Aircraft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what type of catapult will be fitted to the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier.

Lord Astor of Hever: Investigations into potential aircraft launch and recovery systems are under way. We expect to take decisions on the overall conversion strategy in late 2012.

Armed Forces: Aircraft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the availability for operations over a 15-year period of one Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier.

Lord Astor of Hever: The availability of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers will depend on the support solution selected. This is still under development, with a final decision expected around the middle of the decade. The average figure of 150 to 200 days at sea a year referred to in the "Key Facts" section of the National Audit Office report Carrier Strike, published on 7 July 2011, is a planning figure. Although we expect that it would spend this amount of time per year at sea, we would have the ability to extend this if operational circumstances so required.

Armed Forces: Broadband

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of sea, army and air cadet units have direct access to broadband; and whether such access is important for basic training and access to programmes such as that provided by the Cadet Vocational Qualification Organisation.

Lord Astor of Hever: This information is not held centrally. While there is no requirement for cadets to have access to the internet in order to complete basic training, I understand that by far the majority of cadet units do have access to broadband. The internet is a valuable supplementary tool, providing many useful functions to enable trainers to improve the overall cadet experience.

Armed Forces: Helicopters

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 18 July (WA 226), what will be the latest date for the transition of the initial tranche of Royal Navy and Royal Marines Sea King mark 4 crews to Merlin mark 3.

Lord Astor of Hever: Under current plans, the latest start date for training to be undertaken to convert the initial tranche of Sea King crews to Merlin is February 2012.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the performance against target for recruitment to the Armed Forces for (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland, for the last three years for which figures are available.

Lord Astor of Hever: The information is not available as requested as recruitment targets are set for the UK as a whole and not for individual countries of the UK. However, Army other ranks recruitment targets are set in a manner that reflects the requirement of the regional brigades and these can be grouped according to the UK country in which they sit. Figures for those who go on to join the trained strength are regularly published in the Defence Analytical Services and Advice organisation quarterly manning reports, which are available at www.dasa.mod.uk.
	The following tables show recruitment achievement against target.
	
		
			 Recruiting Achievement against Target 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			  Target Entrants Per Cent Target Entrants Per Cent Target Entrants Per Cent 
			 Naval Service 4,501 4,252 94 4,081 4,160 99 2,550 2,586 99 
			 Army Officer 750 725 97 750 696 93 750 771 103 
			 RAF 4,559 4,510 99 3,832 3,625 95 1,565 1,445 92 
		
	
	
		
			 Army Other Ranks-Recruiting Achievement against Target 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			  Target Entrants Per Cent Target Entrants Per Cent Target Entrants Per Cent 
			 England 11,655 10,669 92 10,476 10,040 96 6,950 6,155 89 
			 Scotland 1,174 835 71 930 1,143 123 716 826 115 
			 Wales 1,187 898 76 919 870 95 596 466 78 
			 Northern Ireland 315 289 92 284 312 110 200 242 121

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the performance against target for recruitment to the reserve forces for (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland, for the last three years for which figures are available.

Lord Astor of Hever: The following table shows performance against target for recruitment to the reserve forces across the UK. Recruitment to the volunteer reservist forces is UK-wide activity for all services and no service sets targets for individual UK countries, although individual units and sub-units may engage in local recruiting activities. The defence transformation measures that I announced on 18 July 2011 (Official Report, cols. 1118-20) include a £1.5 billion investment package over the next 10 years to enhance the capability of the reserves and consequently increase their trained strength.
	
		
			  Financial Year 
			 Service  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Maritime Reserves (Royal Naval Reserves and Royal Marine Reserves) Target 907 908 894 
			 Actual 537 705 517 
			 Percentage 59 78 58 
			 Territorial Army Target 7,299 6,880 5,638 
			 Actual 5,556 4,569 3,046 
			 Percentage 76 66 54 
			 Royal Auxiliary Air Force Target 440 552 480 
			 Actual 444 411 279 
			 Percentage 101 74 58

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many recruits to the Armed Forces, in the last three years for which figures are available, were citizens of the Republic of Ireland.

Lord Astor of Hever: The intake into the UK Armed Forces of those personnel recorded as being nationals of the Republic of Ireland is as follows:
	
		
			 2008-09 50 
			 2009-10 85 
			 2010-11 80 
		
	
	Note: The figures have been rounded to the nearest five.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the level of effectiveness of the current test for tuberculosis in cattle; and what proposals they have for improving the effectiveness of the test.

Lord Henley: The tuberculin skin test is used throughout the world as the primary screening test for TB in cattle and is an effective test when correctly performed. It is the prescribed standard method laid down in both national and international legislation for determining the existence of disease in a cattle herd.
	Scientific research shows that, on average, the skin test used in the UK will detect approximately 80 per cent of all the infected cattle in a herd at any one test (at standard interpretation). There is only a 0.1 per cent probability of a non-infected animal being wrongly classified as a reactor.
	The TB testing programme in Great Britain has been enhanced by the use of the gamma interferon blood test since 2006. This diagnostic test is used alongside the tuberculin skin test in known infected herds to improve the sensitivity of the testing regime and to identify more infected animals more quickly. Using both tests in this way can help to speed up the resolution of confirmed TB breakdowns by identifying as many infected cattle as possible at the earliest opportunity.

Children Act 2004

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review the Children Act 2004 in respect of those aspects of the Act which regulate private fostering.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government have no plans at present to review any aspects of the Children Act 2004 relating to private fostering. The 2004 Act included powers for the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring registration of persons as private foster carers. The timeframe to exercise these powers was extended in the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 and the powers are due to expire in November 2011. The Government have decided not to introduce a registration scheme at this stage but will keep that decision under review for the future.

Claims Management

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for the year to 31 March 2011, how many claims management businesses had their authorisations suspended or cancelled for reasons other than failure to pay their annual renewal fee; and how many of those businesses subsequently had their authorisation reinstated.

Lord De Mauley: For the year to 31 March 2011, 32 claims management businesses had their authorisation cancelled for enforcement reasons arising from breaches of the rules of conduct. This includes 14 businesses where, for the sake of expediency, the enforcement decision was implemented using the simpler cancellation procedure available for dealing with the non-payment of regulation fees, but the businesses had also committed several breaches of the conduct rules.
	In addition, 10 businesses had their authorisation suspended. Of these, one had their authorisation subsequently reinstated.

Claims Management

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for the year to 31 March 2011, how many complaints the Claims Management Regulator received about any claims management businesses that had their authorisation suspended or cancelled for reasons other than failure to pay their annual renewal fee; how many complaints were received before the Claims Management Regulator took a decision to investigate those businesses; how many complaints were received after the Claims Management Regulator had taken the decision to investigate until the business's authorisation was suspended or cancelled; and how many were received after the business's authorisation was suspended or cancelled.

Lord De Mauley: For the year to 31 March 2011, 3,996 complaints were received about claims management businesses that had their authorisation suspended or cancelled for enforcement reasons. This includes complaints about 14 businesses where, for the sake of expediency, the enforcement decision was implemented using the simpler cancellation procedure available for dealing with the non-payment of regulation fees, but the businesses had also committed several breaches of the conduct rules. Of the number of complaints:
	383 complaints were received during the period before a decision formally to investigate these businesses was made;638 complaints were received during the investigation of those businesses whose authorisation was suspended, and 167 complaints were received after their suspension; and2,041 complaints were received during the investigation of those businesses whose authorisation was cancelled, and 767 complaints were received after their cancellation.

Cyprus: Electricity Supply

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether electricity generators in the two United Kingdom sovereign bases in Cyprus can be used to supplement the electricity supply of southern Cyprus.

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether electricity generators in the two United Kingdom sovereign bases in Cyprus have been affected by the recent explosion in the Greek Cypriot administrated part of Cyprus.

Lord Astor of Hever: The generators in the sovereign bases in Cyprus are not connected to the Cypriot electricity grid. As such they are unable to supplement the electricity supply in southern Cyprus and they were not affected by the reduction in power supplies which resulted from the explosion on 11 July. Following the explosion, British forces have taken steps to reduce their power consumption from the Cypriot grid and are examining how they can further reduce their routine requirement for power over the coming months while the Cypriot authorities work to restore normal supply levels.

Defence: UK-US Defence Trade Co-operation Treaty

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will submit test cases (Pathfinders) to the United States State Department in connection with the United States-United Kingdom Defence Trade Co-operation Treaty.

Lord Astor of Hever: It is essential that the treaty works effectively when it is brought fully into force. We have therefore agreed a selection of Pathfinder projects with the US State and Defense Departments, using a number of existing acquisition projects to test all aspects of the treaty's operation. We are now in a position to engage more fully with industry ahead of the formal announcement of Pathfinder projects in September.

Egypt

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the transition to free elections in Egypt and what discussions have they had on this subject with the transitional Government of Egypt.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is overseeing the transition to a civilian democracy. We welcome the progress that it has made. This transition process is owned by the Egyptians and it is not for the UK to dictate who or what should be acceptable to the Egyptian people, but we believe that it is important that the people's voice is heard through free and fair democratic elections leading to a return to civilian government.
	There has been sustained high-level British Government engagement in support of the democratic transition process in Egypt, including visits by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister and my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary. They pressed the Egyptian authorities to ensure an open and plural election process, including allowing sufficient time for political parties to organise their activity and contest the elections. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my honourable friend Mr Burt, visited Egypt on 27 and 28 July, when he highlighted the need for credible elections and reform and offered UK assistance in this regard.
	Our embassy in Cairo is in close contact with the Egyptian authorities, the opposition and activists to develop initiatives in support of the transition under the Arab Partnership.

Energy: Green Deal

Lord Glentoran: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to ensure that the Green Deal assessor acts solely and independently in the interests of the household.

Lord De Mauley: We have been clear that the assessment must be impartial, whichever business model operates under Green Deal, and we intend to move an amendment at Report stage of the Energy Bill to make an explicit reference to the impartiality on the face of the Bill.
	In addition, as a condition of their authorisation, Green Deal assessor services will need to be certified by a UKAS-accredited certification body. The requirements of certification are intended to ensure that the assessment and associated advice are impartial and appropriate for the property and occupier in question. Appropriate sanctions such as suspension or withdrawal of certification will be applied for non-compliance with the certification requirements.
	We will consult on the approach following Royal Assent of the Energy Bill.

Energy: Green Deal

Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that all contractors delivering Green Deal services are compliant with any relevant competent persons scheme and are members of Trustmark.

Lord De Mauley: The Government's intention is to build on the existing certification structures, including those that come under the competent person schemes and Trustmark. The Department of Energy and Climate Change has commissioned the British Standards Institution (BSI) to develop a Green Deal installer standard (PAS) with industry by the end of this year. This will bring together the existing standards/schemes and develop new ones where necessary. We will then use the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) to provide independent accreditation of certification bodies to ensure that they are meeting this standard. Any competent person schemes or those endorsed by Trustmark can come forward to be accredited if they are able to meet the PAS requirements.

Energy: Green Deal

Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will encourage the dissemination of standard-setting schemes run by specialist construction organisations throughout the delivery of Green Deal programmes.

Lord De Mauley: The Government are working closely with construction industry organisations and the sector skills councils to ensure that we identify the skills necessary to deliver the Green Deal and our new BSI standard. This new standard will incorporate many of the existing installer standards, including those produced by specialist construction organisations if they are appropriate. BSI will publish a consultation paper on this standard in the autumn.
	Once the standard is launched in January 2012, the sector skills councils will begin working with the various certification schemes and training providers to ensure that they are delivering the training required by our new standard and promoting these to potential employers and trainees.

Energy: Wind Farms

Lord Reay: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in each of the last five years, how many onshore wind-farm planning applications were decided by local planning authorities in England, Scotland and Wales; of those, how many were refused; and how many refusals were appealed against.

Lord De Mauley: The following information has been extracted from the June 2011 edition of the DECC Renewable Energy Planning Database https://restats.decc.gov.uk/cms/planning-database.
	
		
			 England Number of applications determined Of which, number of applications initially refused Appeals (including those successful) 
			 2006 31 11 3 
			 2007 55 27 17 
			 2008 49 28 21 
			 2009 64 34 17 
			 2010 51 27 12 
		
	
	
		
			 Scotland Number of applications determined Of which, number of applications initially refused Appeals (including those successful) 
			 2006 17 5 3 
			 2007 27 13 6 
			 2008 29 10 5 
			 2009 48 12 4 
			 2010 29 13 4 
		
	
	
		
			 Wales Number of applications determined Of which, number of applications initially refused Appeals (including those successful) 
			 2006 3 2 1 
			 2007 8 3 1 
			 2008 4 1 1 
			 2009 2 0 0 
			 2010 3 1 0 
		
	
	Note: Applications, refusals and appeals relate to year of original determination.
	Full details are available on the Renewable Energy Planning Database: https://restats.decc.gov.uk/cros/planning-database

Female Genital Mutilation

Lord Rea: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will continue to fund female genital mutilation clinics.

Earl Howe: The department proposed in Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Consultation on the Funding and Commissioning Routes for Public Health that female genital mutilation (FGM) clinics should be commissioned by local authorities. The consultation closed on 31 March and the department published its response to the consultation feedback on 14 July. In this response, it is confirmed that on the basis of feedback from stakeholders, the department has changed its position and can now confirm that FGM services will be commissioned by the National Health Service. Further details on arrangements for this commissioning will be confirmed in due course.

Female Genital Mutilation

Lord Rea: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a common code of conduct for all healthcare professionals regarding female genital mutilation.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what efforts they are putting into training front-line professionals such as teachers, general practitioners and nurses to combat female genital mutilation.

Earl Howe: There is a wealth of guidance and best practice available to health professionals on female genital mutilation (FGM), thus there is no one "common code of conduct" in relation to this specific issue. These include guidance produced by HM Government, Multi-Agency Practice Guidelines: Female Genital Mutilation, published in 2011. This includes a chapter on guidance for social workers and underlines the importance of applying child safeguarding procedures in order to minimise or prevent harm to the child or children. The guidance advises that when there is a referral to children's social care, a strategy meeting should be convened with relevant agencies, in order to agree a plan to protect the child. It is suggested that information should be provided to the family on the risks associated with FGM and that securing parental consent for any action plan is desirable. If a girl faces the immediate risk of undergoing FGM, then an emergency protection order can be obtained.
	The department produced a DVD on FGM in 2006 which gives a general introduction to the health implications of female genital mutilation. It includes interviews with women who have undergone FGM and outlines the appropriate response from healthcare professionals.
	Clinical guidance has also been produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists-Female Genital Mutilation and its Management: Green-top Guideline No. 53; by the British Medical Association-Child Protection:AToolkit for Doctors, 2009, and Female Genital Mutilation: Caring for Patients and Safeguarding Children, July 2011; and by the Royal College of Nursing-Female Genital Mutilation: An RCN Educational Resource for Nursing and Midwifery Staff, 2006.
	Communications about FGM are key to bringing the issue to the attention of more people. More than 40,000 leaflets and 40,000 posters have been circulated to schools, health services, charities and community groups around the country.
	The Department for Education has included advice on FGM in its guidance for schools, Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education, 2006. It has also included advice on FGM for the wider children's workforce and for all those involved in safeguarding children in Working Together to Safeguard Children: A Guide to Inter-agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children, 2010.
	In addition, the Kids Taskforce was commissioned by the Home Office to develop a short film and accompanying teachers' resource pack to be available for use in secondary schools. The film will be aimed at young people and explain what FGM is, its illegality and lack of religious basis, its physical and mental health consequences and what steps young people should take if they are worried about themselves or someone else undergoing FGM. The accompanying teachers' resource pack is designed to support teachers to deliver a lesson on FGM. It will contain detailed lesson plans and relevant and applicable classroom materials, such as students' worksheets, quizzes, debate topics and small group-work activities.

Female Genital Mutilation

Lord Rea: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to train key professionals including police officers and social workers to combat female genital mutilation.

Baroness Browning: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an illegal and unacceptable form of child abuse and a form of violence against girls and women that the Government are committed to eradicating. Our focus is prevention. In February 2011, the Government launched multi-agency practice guidelines for front-line professionals including police officers and social workers. The guidelines aim to raise awareness of FGM, highlight the risks that people should be aware of and set out clearly the steps that should be taken to safeguard children and women from this abuse. The guidelines are a key step in ensuring that professionals are able and confident to intervene to protect girls at risk.
	The basic training provided to police officers already includes FGM and the National Policing Improvement Agency is currently working on enhancing and expanding this element. In addition, more than 40,000 leaflets and 40,000 posters on the prevention of FGM have been circulated to schools, health services, charities and community groups around the country.

Female Genital Mutilation

Lord Rea: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is being done to ensure that general practitioners, doctors in private practice and cosmetic surgeons are aware of the correct procedures when advising women who want their vaginas restitched following female genital mutilation.

Earl Howe: Reinfibulation is illegal. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists clinical guidelines state:
	"Any repair carried out after birth, whether following spontaneous laceration or deliberate deinfibulation, should be sufficient to appose raw edges and control bleeding, but must not result in a vaginal opening that makes intercourse difficult or impossible".
	Midwives and health visitors are encouraged to talk after the birth to women who have been deinfibulated during labour to remind them that reinfibulation is illegal and that it must not be performed on any female children in the family.

Firearms: Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group

Lord Dear: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the membership and work programme of the Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group.

Baroness Browning: The composition of the Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group (HOFFWG) is as follows:
	Mick Fidgeon, Essex Police, Firearms Licensing Manager; Cohn Greenwood, British Shooting Sports Council;Peter Taylor, Hertfordshire Police, Firearms Licensing Manager; David Penn, British Shooting Sports Council; Mike Eveleigh, British Association for Shooting and Conservation; Graham Widdecombe, Home Office; andAndy Arnell, Home Office.
	The HOFFWG work programme is to review all matters relating to firearms forms.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 June (WA 279), what was the variation agreed in the project "Marketing segmentation in the agriculture sector: Climate change"; and for what reason.

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, et cetera).
	The variation to the contract for the project "Market Segmentation in the Agriculture Sector: Climate Change" was granted to ensure that the contractors increased the number of farmers interviewed as part of this social science study to a more statistically robust level. The additional cost of this work was £1,000. Workshops designated for this purpose had to be delayed due to restrictions on communications before the 2010 general election until a busy period in farmers' annual cycles, and attendance was lower than expected.

Government Departments: Staff

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the remit of non-executive directors in departments of state includes evaluating the performance of Ministers and Permanent Secretaries.

Lord De Mauley: Non-executives were invited to give feedback on Permanent Secretaries as part of a 360-degree feedback process. Ministers and Permanent Secretaries may be assessed as members of departmental boards. This varies from board to board at the chairman's discretion.

Government Departments: Staff

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Rawlings on 20 July confirming that Andy Coulson had been properly vetted, whether they will now publish the advice given by the Cabinet Secretary to the Prime Minister on whether his appointment was appropriate in the circumstances.

Baroness Rawlings: No such advice was given by the Cabinet Secretary.

Health: Contaminated Blood Products

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements have been made to appoint trustees of the Caxton Foundation; and whether representatives of the haemophilia community will be included on the board.

Earl Howe: It is for the founding trustees of the Caxton Foundation to appoint further trustees should they wish to do so and to decide on what basis such appointments are made, in line with the trust deed. An exercise to appoint further trustees has recently been undertaken, resulting in a total of nine trustees. The appointments were made on merit alone, without reference to formal representation of any particular group or constituency.

Health: Contaminated Blood Products

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to undertake any further review of the arrangements for NHS patients infected by contaminated NHS blood products when Lord Penrose publishes the results of the Scottish public inquiry; and on what timescale.

Earl Howe: We have no current plans to undertake a further review of the arrangements that are currently in place to support patients infected with HIV and/or hepatitis C as a result of treatment with National Health Service-supplied blood and blood products in England.

Healthcare: Costs

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 14 July (WA 207-8), why the European Union requires member states to pay for the healthcare costs of pensioners who are nationals of other member states resident in their state, when European Union nationals who are not pensioners have unreclaimable healthcare costs paid by their host country, and are otherwise subject to the healthcare legislation of the country where they work; and whether they will seek a review of the policy.

Earl Howe: Under the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union, citizens are afforded protection to ensure free movement around the EU. EU Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009 and all their preceding regulations co-ordinate national rules on social security provisions. As such, a member state covers the cost of healthcare provided to its state pensioners wherever they reside in the European economic area, as health is considered a benefit in kind. By contrast, the regulations do not require a member state to cover the cost of its nationals who are working and paying contributions in another member state, as they are contributing to the social security system that provides their healthcare. There are no current plans to seek a review of the policy.

House of Lords: IT

Lord Avebury: To ask the Chairman of Committees why Members are prevented from installing Dropbox on computers supplied by PICT; what steps are being taken to resolve this issue to enable Members to use Dropbox; and whether he will give an estimate of how long this will take.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: For security reasons PICT has no plans to allow access to Dropbox from the parliamentary network. This approach was recently vindicated when the security for the Dropbox service was breached. PICT recognises the utility of such services and will keep technical developments under review.

House of Lords: Telephone Hacking

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask the Chairman of Committees whether he will write to the officer in charge of the Metropolitan Police inquiry into phone hacking, on behalf of all Members of the House of Lords, to ask (1) which Members' telephones have been hacked on the evidence currently available, and (2) whether any Member can be notified immediately when evidence becomes available that their phone may have been hacked.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: I do not plan to write to the Metropolitan Police about phone hacking. Members who are concerned about this matter should contact the Metropolitan Police directly.

Israel

Baroness Brinton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel regarding the uprooting of olive trees by troops and Israeli settlers in Deir Istiya in the northern West Bank.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are aware of the incident that the noble Baroness mentions. This is important both because olive groves are the sole source of income for many subsistence farmers and olive trees are a national symbol for Palestinians. We have raised our concerns about such incidents with the Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Territories and the Israel Defence Forces. Our staff in the consulate general in Jerusalem will continue to do so.

Local Government: Consent Regimes

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 19 July (WA 276), whether in pursuit of its policy on decentralisation and localism the Department of Communities and Local Government will seek to persuade other departments to review and reduce the number of consent regimes affecting local government; and whether they will publish the results of such reviews.

Baroness Hanham: The coalition is committed to decentralisation across government. As I outlined to the noble Lord in my Answer of 19 July (Official Report, col. WA 276), future consideration of specific duties, consent regimes and associated guidance will be led and consulted on as appropriate by the relevant government departments responsible for the specific policy areas.

Media: Regulation

Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the regulatory regime for the media while the inquiries into phone hacking and media ethics are taking place; and how they will ensure that any changes they may propose are targeted at the abuses which have occurred.

Baroness Rawlings: The Press Complaints Commission remains in place to oversee adherence to the self-regulatory Code of Practice. Additionally, the legislation that outlaws practices such as phone hacking and obtaining data by misrepresentation continues to apply. It is clear that the press will be under closer scrutiny than ever while Lord Leveson's inquiry is under way. Lord Leveson's inquiry will be looking specifically at the whole range of press behaviour and ethics and will be making recommendations for changes designed to ensure that abuses do not continue to occur.

NHS: EU Regulations

Baroness Quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any NHS services currently being delivered have been the subject of European Union tendering procedures.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what case law on European Union open tendering legislation and health services in the United Kingdom and the rest of the European Union they have considered; and what conclusions they have drawn relating to NHS services.

Earl Howe: Commissioners of National Health Service services are already subject to the requirements of the Public Contract Regulations 2006, which implement the European Union procurement directive.
	Procurement law, at both EU and domestic level, distinguishes between Part A and Part B services. Part A services are subject to prescriptive requirements, including mandatory procedures for advertising contracts and mandatory timescales for procurement. Part B includes health and social care services and does not prescribe mandatory procedures and timescales. The requirements for Part B services are that procurement processes must be transparent, proportionate and non-discriminatory. These requirements have been reflected in guidance to commissioners on procurement of health services, first published in 2008.
	The latest guidance is set out in the Procurement Guide for Commissioners of NHS-funded Services, published in July 2010. It is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/D H_118218
	A copy of this has already been placed in the Library.

NHS: Non-UK Residents

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to the National Health Service of international health tourism; and whether the Home Office has consulted the Department of Health on assessing the likely health needs or conditions of such visitors before issuing visas.

Earl Howe: Overseas visitors who are not otherwise exempt from charges for treatment in National Health Service hospitals under the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2011 are required to pay for treatment provided.
	Total audited losses, bad debts and claims abandoned arising from these charges as applied for NHS trusts in 2009-10 was £6,967,780. The department does not collect information from NHS foundation trusts.
	The Home Office has recently consulted with all government departments, including the Department of Health, before publishing recent consultations and consultation responses on migration policy, and the department has similarly consulted in respect of its consultation response on overseas visitor charging policy.
	The two departments have also recently discussed current procedures for immigration-related tuberculosis screening.

NHS: Waiting Lists

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the average waiting time for elective surgery in each of the last 34 months, by hospital trust.

Earl Howe: The information has been placed in the Library.

Offenders: Unpaid Work

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a probation trust or a private company will pay for any prosecution of a breach of unpaid work conditions following the completion of the tendering process for unpaid work in England and Wales.

Lord De Mauley: Probation trust contracts with the National Offender Management Service currently include provision for the prosecution of unpaid work requirements. There is no intention to change this arrangement as a result of the tendering for unpaid work. The probation trust will bear the costs of a successful prosecution for all providers of unpaid work, including the private sector.

Offenders: Unpaid Work

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what management levels will be available (a) within central government, (b) at the regional level, and (c) within the probation trust, for the provision of unpaid work following the completion of the tendering process for unpaid work in England and Wales.

Lord De Mauley: Successful bidders in the unpaid work competitions will be subject to contract management arrangements by the National Offender Management Service.

Offenders: Unpaid Work

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what quality assurance procedures private sector companies will be subject to in the bidding process for supervising offenders with disabilities undertaking unpaid work in England and Wales.

Lord De Mauley: Successful bidders in the unpaid work competition will be expected to provide evidence that they are able to comply with the Equality Act 2010. This requires probation trusts and private sector providers to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled offenders to undertake unpaid work. The National Offender Management Service will monitor compliance with the contracts.

Policing and Crime Act 2009

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many closure orders have been made under Section 21 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many orders requiring attendance at meetings have been made under Section 17 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009; and how many have been breached.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions and how many convictions by year there have been since the passage of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 under (a) Section 14, paying for sexual services of a prostitute subjected to force etc, (b) Section 16, offence of loitering etc for purposes of prostitution, and (c) Section 19, soliciting; and how many of those resulted in (1) a prison sentence, and (2) a suspended prison sentence.

Baroness Browning: Information on the number of closure orders made under Section 21 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 and the number of orders requiring attendance at meetings which have been made under Section 17 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009, including how many have been breached, is not available as it is not centrally collected.
	The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts and sentenced for offences under the Policing and Crime Act 2009, Sections 14, 16 and 19 of which came into force in April 2010, in England and Wales in 2010 (the latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in spring 2012.
	
		
			 Defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts, by sentence breakdown for offences under the Policing and Crime Act 2009, England and Wales 2010(1)(2) 
			 Statute Offence description Proceeded against Found guilty Sentenced Immediate custody Suspended sentence Other sentences(4) 
			 2010
			 Street Offences Act 1959, inserted under Section 16 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009(3) Person persistently loitering or soliciting for the purposes of prostitution 340 188 188 - - 188 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003, inserted under Section 19 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009(3) Soliciting another for the purpose of obtaining their sexual services as a prostitute in a street or public place 76 64 64 - - 64 
			 Sexual Offences Act 2003, inserted under Section 14 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009(3) Paying or promising to pay a person to provide sexual services, where that person is subject to exploitative conduct to induce or encourage them to provide those services 49 43 43 - - 43 
		
	
	- Nil
	(1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	(2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	(3) Came into force in April 2010.
	(4) Other sentences include: absolute and conditional discharge, fine, community sentence and otherwise dealt with.
	Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice. Ref: 411-11 P0 Contribution HL 11419.

Prisoners: Self-harm

Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether guidance about the supervision of prisoners with a history of self-harm was followed at the Close Supervision Centre at HMP Woodhill; whether specific recommendations were made after a prisoner cut off one of his ears; and whether those recommendations were followed prior to the same prisoner cutting off his second ear.

Lord De Mauley: Following the incident in April 2011, the prisoner concerned was placed on assessment, care in custody and teamwork procedures (ACCT is the care planning system for prisoners identified as being at risk of self-harm and/or suicide). These procedures were reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team in June when it was decided, based on a risk assessment of the prisoner, that they were no longer required. Specific recommendations arising from the investigation into the incident in April had been accepted and were being implemented at the time of the second incident of self-harm in July.

Prisoners: Self-harm

Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action is being taken following the incident in which a prisoner in HMP Woodhill cut off both his ears; and whether details of such action will be published.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The governor has arranged for an investigation to be undertaken into the recent incident of self-harm where the prisoner cut off his ear. This investigation will take into account the findings and recommendations of the recently concluded investigation into the earlier incidence of self-harm involving the removal of his other ear.

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persons prosecuted for breach of a restraining order under Section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 were found (a) guilty, and (b) not guilty; and what were the principal court disposals for those found guilty in (1) 2009-10, and (2) 2010-11.

Lord De Mauley: Persons proceeded against at magistrates' court and acquitted and found guilty at all courts, and sentence breakdown for breach of a restraining order under the Protection of Harassment Act 1997 in England and Wales 2009 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the table that I have enclosed.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in spring 2012.
	
		
			 Persons proceeded against at magistrates' court and acquitted and found guilty at all courts, and sentence breakdown for breach of a restraining order under the Protection of Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2009-2010 (1) (2) (3) (4) 
			   2009  
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 under Section 5 Proceeded against Acquitted Found guilty Sentenced Absolute discharge Conditional discharge Fine Community sentence Suspended sentence Immediate custody Otherwise dealt with 
			 Breach of a restraining order 1,618 63 1,464 1,329 5 93 141 351 178 457 104 
			   2010  
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 under Section 5 Proceeded against Acquitted Found guilty Sentenced Absolute discharge Conditional discharge Fine Community sentence Suspended sentence Immediate custody Otherwise dealt with 
			 Breach of a restraining order 3,349 138 2,921 2,799 15 237 321 779 381 904 162 
		
	
	(1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	(2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	(3) Acquitted includes: discharged and dismissed at magistrates' courts and acquitted at the Crown Court.
	(4) The sentenced column may be lower than the number found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty, and committed for sentence at the Crown court, may be sentenced in the following year.
	Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Schools: Leaving Age

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the transport implications of raising the school leaving age to 18.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Under our proposals to raise the participation age, 16 to 18 years-olds will have a duty to participate, but not necessarily in full-time education. Young people aged 16 to 18 will still be able to leave school and have a range of options, and many young people will also undertake part-time work while they are studying.
	Transport represents one of the main costs associated with participation post-16. That is why the £180 million 16 to 19 bursary funding introduced from September 2011 will have the flexibility to help meet transport costs for individual students where those costs have been identified as a real barrier to their participation.
	This sits alongside the duty on local authorities to publish a statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they consider necessary to enable young people of sixth form age to attend post-16 education.

Schools: Sport

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the projected cost of ensuring that every primary school has one teacher trained to teach sport, physical activity and play to national curriculum level.

Lord Hill of Oareford: All primary teachers meet the qualified teacher status standards. The standards include the expectation that trainees know and understand the relevant curricula applicable to the age ranges that they are training to teach. All primary trainees are therefore expected to demonstrate that they can teach physical education lessons before they are awarded qualified teacher status. The delivery and cost of this training is embedded within initial teacher training (ITT) courses and will vary across programmes and ITT providers, as well as the needs of the individual trainee. It is therefore not possible to estimate a cost for this.
	Training of serving teachers is a matter for the employing school. The Government are providing £65 million in the coming years to allow secondary schools to release a PE teacher for a day a week to promote competitive sport and to embed good practice from the former PE and sport strategy, including working with primary school teachers.

Schools: Sport

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hours are spent each year training primary school teachers in the subjects of sport, physical activity and play.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Accredited initial teacher training providers must design and deliver their programmes to enable trainee teachers to meet the qualified teacher status standards. The standards include the expectation that trainees know and understand the relevant curricula applicable to the age ranges that they are training to teach. Primary trainees are therefore expected to demonstrate that they can teach physical education lessons. The standards do not prescribe the amount of time that must be spent on each of the elements of training. The amount of time that is spent on PE in initial teacher training is likely to vary across programmes and providers, and must take account of trainees' individual training needs.
	Training of serving teachers is a matter for the employing school. We do not hold data on the amount of time serving primary school teachers spend on in-service professional development activities related to sport, physical activity and play. The Government are providing £65 million in the coming years to allow secondary schools to release a PE teacher for a day a week to promote competitive sport and to embed good practice from the former PE and sport strategy, including working with primary school teachers.

Schools: Sport

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is responsible for the delivery of the school games level 3 pilot projects.

Baroness Rawlings: Nine local organising committees have been responsible for the delivery of the school games level 3 pilot projects, chaired by a head teacher and made up of local partners.

Schools: Sport

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the balance of funding between departmental, Sport England, Youth Sport Trust and private sector budgets for the promotion of school sport including the 2011 pilot projects, broken down between levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the school games.

Baroness Rawlings: Sport England (SE) has already published in its consultation document the lottery funding made available for school games, disaggregated by year and level. Of that, SE awarded a £755,000 grant to the Youth Sport Trust to deliver development support to the pilot phase, and £400,000 has gone to the nine pilot local organising committees to allow them to stage their pilot festivals this summer.
	In addition, SE and the Department of Health are providing funding of £22 million to fund new school games organisers across the academic year 2011-12 and 2012-13. The Department of Health is also providing funding of £6.4 million for Change4Life sports clubs. The Department for Education is making available £65 million for secondary schools to release a PE teacher for one day a week to support delivery of school games again across the academic year 2011-12 and 2012-13. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is contributing up to £2 million towards the level 4 event in 2012.

Schools: Sport

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many partnership development managers and competition managers have taken on contracts as school games organisers during 2010 and 2011; whether those who did received redundancy pay before signing up to their new role, and, if so, how much is projected to be paid in redundancy costs; and how many chose not to make the transition.

Baroness Rawlings: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not collect information on any individual redundancy payments. This is a matter for individual schools. The recruitment of school games organisers, who will take up post from September 2011, is a local matter for the host school or organisation.

Schools: Sport

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the object of the school games level 3 both at pilot and national level remains the provision of inter-school competitive sport for talented young people; and, if so, how many individual schools entered competitors under the names of their own school into competitions at the pilot events.

Lord De Mauley: Yes. The School Games will use the inspiration of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to create the opportunity for every school and every child to participate in competitive sport. Level 3 is designed to be the annual culmination of an all-year-round programme of inter-school competition in a range of sports. Information on the number of individual schools entering competitions at the nine pilot events is currently being collected and evaluated. This information will be available in September 2011.

Sexual Offences Act 2003

Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each year since 2000, how many prosecutions and how many convictions there have been under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 for offences connected with keeping a brothel, and for related matters; and how many of those resulted in (1) a prison sentence, and (2) a suspended prison sentence.

Lord De Mauley: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts, found guilty and sentenced at all courts, for summary offences of brothel keeping under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 in England and Wales, from 2000 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in Table 1, which I have enclosed. The Sexual Offences Act 2003, which came into force in May 2004, added Section 33A, keeping a brothel used for prostitution, to the Sexual Offences Act 1956. Data from 2004 to 2010 under Section 33A are given in Table 2, which I have enclosed.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in spring 2012.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts, found guilty and sentenced at all courts, for summary offences of brothel keeping under the Sexual Offences Act 1956, England and Wales, 2000 to 2010 (1) (2) 
			 Year Proceeded against Found guilty (3) Number sentenced (4) of which: Immediate custody Suspended sentence 
			 2000 22 14 14  1 - 
			 2001 14 7 7  - - 
			 2002 18 8 8  - - 
			 2003 11 4 4  - - 
			 2004 27 15 10  - - 
			 2005 13 11 17  2 1 
			 2006 42 18 16  4 - 
			 2007 42 34 40  10 5 
			 2008 (5) 23 37 46  20 11 
			 2009 23 35 36  13 8 
			 2010 43 52 52  10 18 
		
	
	(1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	(2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	(3) The number of defendants found guilty in a particular year may exceed the number proceeded against as the proceedings in the magistrates' court took place in an earlier year and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown Court in the following year, or the defendants were found guilty of a different offence from that for which they were originally proceeded against.
	(4) The sentenced column may exceed those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year.
	(5) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008.
	Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts, found guilty and sentenced at all courts, for offences of brothel keeping for prostitution under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 Section 33A, as added by the Sexual Offences Act 2003(1), England and Wales, 2004 to 2010(2)(3) 
			 Year Proceeded against Found guilty (4) Number sentenced (5) of which: Immediate custody Suspended sentence 
			 2004 3 4 4  - 1 
			 2005 11 8 6  - 4 
			 2006 39 27 27  5 7 
			 2007 41 29 28  8 13 
			 2008(6) 43 37 36  10 17 
			 2009 42 37 37  7 24 
			 2010 49 32 33  12 14 
		
	
	(1) Came into force in May 2004.
	(2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	(4) The number of defendants found guilty in a particular year may exceed the number proceeded against as the proceedings in the magistrates' court took place in an earlier year and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown Court in the following year, or the defendants were found guilty of a different offence from that for which they were originally proceeded against.
	(5) The sentenced column may exceed those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year.
	(6) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008.
	Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Somalia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Amnesty International's report In the line of fire: Somalia's children under attack, published on 20 July; and whether they intend to pursue the report's recommendations with the United Kingdom's international partners.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are aware of Amnesty International's report and the problem of the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Somalia. We raised this with the Transitional Federal Government during Somalia's Universal Periodic Review in May and will continue to raise it in the appropriate international forum.

Sport: SkillsActive

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the constitutional remit of SkillsActive; and what power it has to intervene if there is stakeholder disagreement about the future of specific sporting qualifications and training.

Baroness Rawlings: SkillsActive is the sector skills council for active leisure, learning and well-being, licensed by the Government and driven by the needs of employers. Sector skills councils are recognised by the Government as independent, employer-led organisations whose role is to ensure that the skills system is driven by the needs of employers. A key aspect of SkillsActive's work is to develop a framework of occupational standards that meet the needs of employers and underpin job roles in the sector. SkillsActive has the power to intervene in disagreements between bodies regarding qualifications and training, but its role is to represent the employer view on what they need for their staff.

Telephone Hacking

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the public inquiry into phone hacking and media ethics headed by Lord Justice Leveson will be able to investigate (a) contact between Government Ministers with the main daily newspapers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and (b) the contacts between the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Independent Newspaper and Media Group.

Lord De Mauley: The devolved Administrations were consulted on the terms of reference for Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry, which will cover the whole of the United Kingdom. It will have the power to look at contacts between any national newspapers and any politician.

Young People: Creative Industries

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Wilcox on 14 July (HL Deb, col. 841) concerning young people and the creative industries, what mechanisms are in place to leverage maximum benefit for the approximately £97 million spent on the Cultural Olympiad and the festival of culture to ensure that young people (a) across the United Kingdom, and (b) in East London, are encouraged to pursue careers in the creative industries.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Cultural Olympiad will produce dividends for young people aspiring to careers in the creative and cultural industries. Through the Cultural Olympiad, they are being given opportunities to experience new activities, develop new skills and, in some cases, interact with professionals to learn about working in those industries.
	LOCOG is managing the Cultural Olympiad. To date, LOCOG has raised around £97 million of investment for the Cultural Olympiad. The majority of this money is input directly by the funding partners to the projects and programmes they are supporting.
	The purpose of the Cultural Olympiad is to be a cultural festival that complements the sporting excellence of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, as with the 2012 Games themselves, we hope there will be community, social and economic spin-offs that will live beyond the Cultural Olympiad.
	A number of projects are encouraging young people to pursue careers in the creative industries-for example: Film Nation: Shorts, providing 14 to 25 year-olds with opportunities to learn film-making skills, with access to professional equipment and support; the Legacy Trust UK, funding programmes in various parts of the UK to enhance young people's skills, confidence and opportunities to interact with local creative and cultural industries; and CREATE Jobs, supported by Arts Council England, a scheme providing new ways into the creative and cultural industries, offering mentoring, traineeships, work experience, apprenticeships and careers fairs and focusing on hard-to- reach young people in the London 2012 host boroughs.
	The Arts Council-supported project CREATE Jobs will include mentoring, traineeships, work experience, apprenticeships and careers fairs. To date, some of the most innovative and interesting employers in the cultural and creative industries have signed up to be a part of the programme. Other ACE projects also enhance young people's employability, from basic through to vocational skills.

Zimbabwe

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 11 July (WA 150), why their regular discussions of Zimbabwe with the South African Government have not included discussion of the planned deportation of Zimbabwean refugees from South Africa; and how this is compatible with their stated support of civil society groups working on issues of concern to migrants from Zimbabwe in South Africa.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Our engagement with South Africa on the question of Zimbabwe is focused on supporting the regional efforts to secure reforms in advance of free and fair elections. These reforms are an essential step in creating a stable and prosperous Zimbabwe for Zimbabwean migrants to return to. Our civil society partners in Zimbabwe are aware that the question of migrants in South Africa is not an area where we engage directly.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the correspondence between Lord Alton of Liverpool and the Secretary of State for International Development concerning gender-selective abortion and gender-selective killing in India.

Baroness Verma: Yes.

Africa: Aid

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which African countries they have provided or removed budgetary support from in the last 10 years; and on which dates.

Baroness Verma: I have placed in the Library of the House a table outlining the amount of budget support-formally known as Poverty Reduction Budget Support (both general and sector)-provided by Her Majesty's Government through the Department for International Development (DfID) to African countries for every UK financial year between 2001-02 and 2010-11.
	The coalition Government recently reviewed the overall approach to providing budget support, with emphasis on reducing waste and inefficiency and improving transparency and value for money. The Secretary of State has announced that over the next four years, general budget support provided by the UK Government will decline by nearly half. We are implementing a shift towards targeted funding to important sectors (sector support), such as health and education.
	I have placed a second table in the House Library, detailing instances where funding, including budget support, has been disrupted, delayed, or suspended because the conditions set out in that policy were not met, for the UK financial years 2005-06 to 2010-11. Similar information for the years prior to 2005 is not readily available, and would incur disproportionate costs in collating.

Agriculture and Food

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations of the 2008 International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development Report to which the United Kingdom is a signatory.

Baroness Verma: The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development Report (IAASTD) reports, including the synthesis report, presented a range of options for different stakeholders (Governments, private sector, academics and civil society) to consider, none of which were prescriptive nor legally binding on any party. The evidence provided by IAASTD demonstrated that in some situations, benefits can be captured by accelerating the adoption of existing technologies.
	In 2008 DfID doubled its investment in agricultural research to £400 million over five years. The investment included research on environmentally sustainable solutions, the needs of farmers, gender issues, public-private partnerships, the impact of markets on poor farmers and traditional and modern technologies, all of which are advocated for by IAASTD. DfID also supports large-scale programmes to get research into use in developing countries, working in partnership with the private sector.

Energy: Wind Farms

Lord Reay: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in each of the last five years, how many onshore windfarm planning applications were decided on appeal by the Secretary of State (directly or through a planning inspector) in England, Scotland and Wales; and, of those, how many were refused.

Baroness Hanham: The tables below show the total number of cases involving wind turbines decided on appeal* by the Secretary of State, for England and separately for Wales, between 2006 and 2010, and the number refused.
	* The England figures below include one application called in for decision by the Secretary of State (allowed, ie permission granted), and two enforcement appeals that include a deemed application for permission (notice upheld, ie permission refused for both). The Wales figures include one application called in for decision by the Welsh Government (allowed, ie permission granted).
	
		
			 England Single turbine** 2 or more turbines All 
			 Total Refused Total Refused Total Refused 
			 2006 11 6 8 7 19 13 
			 2007 49 30 8 6 57 36 
			 2008 30 20 17 8 47 28 
			 2009 52 28 31 9 83 37 
			 2010 43 22 44 21 87 43 
			 Total 185 106(57%) 108 51(47%) 293 157(53%) 
		
	
	
		
			 Wales Single turbine** 2 or more turbines All 
			 Total Refused Total Refused Total Refused 
			 2006 1 1 2 2 3 3 
			 2007 4 2- 3 0 7 2 
			 2008 2 2 1 1 3 3 
			 2009 5 1 6 3- 11 4 
			 2010 1 1 1 1 2 2 
			 Total 13 7(54%) 13 7(54%) 26 14(54%) 
		
	
	* * Single turbines could be domestic or commercial.
	Planning in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Executive and the department does not hold information on these appeals.

Government Departments: Staff

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Mr Andy Coulson had access to secret and highly confidential classified documents and information when serving as Director of Communications at Number 10 Downing Street; and whether he was subject to security vetting.

Lord Strathclyde: I refer the noble Lord to the letter sent by the Cabinet Secretary to the honourable Member for Bury South (Ivan Lewis MP) on 22 July 2011. A copy of this is available on the Cabinet Office website and has also been placed in the Library of the House. (http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/andy-coulson-sir-gus-odonnells-letter-ivan-lewis-mp).

Government Departments: Staff

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the basic background check on Mr Coulson referred to by the Prime Minister in his press conference on 8 July related to his appointment as the Prime Minister's Director of Communications; if so, which company was commissioned and on what date, what were its results and at what cost to public funds; and if not, what further checks were carried out in respect of that appointment, when, and by whom.

Lord Strathclyde: This background check was conducted prior to Mr Coulson's appointment as Director of Communications to the Conservative Party in 2007. On appointment to the Civil Service, special advisers are security cleared to the appropriate level.

Horn of Africa

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the links between poor governance in the Horn of Africa and the current food crisis.

Baroness Verma: The UK recognises the nexus between governance and food security in the Horn of Africa.
	In Somalia, the Department for International Development's (DfID) assessment is that the lack of government which serves the needs of the poor and the ongoing conflict over resources at many levels is one of the underlying causes of the current famine and chronic food insecurity. In Ethiopia, where food price inflation is currently at 45.3 per cent, economic governance has a major impact on national food security. In Kenya, DfID considers that the lack of investment in long-term food security in the arid lands and lack of progress on related policy and institutional issues has compounded the food security situation in that region.

Overseas Aid

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the new criteria to fund emergency aid will take account of low profile emergencies that do not attract media attention.

Baroness Verma: The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is the primary channel through which we provide funding for low profile emergencies. The flexible core funding we are providing to CERF and other key humanitarian multilateral agencies enables these agencies to provide essential life-saving assistance in low profile emergencies.
	We are committed to providing humanitarian aid on the basis of need, and will continue to fund agencies or organisations working in emergencies, irrespective of media coverage.